The Rise of Snake
by Kinsey Elise
Summary: Follow this vigorous journey of a young kit and her siblings born into a dangerous world. Entangled in a web full of deceit, love, hunger, and peril, Snake finds herself on a twisted path. Her parents BloodClan origin makes her a target for enemies and friends alike. What will become of the three?
1. A Precarious Beginning

**Characters:**

BloodClan:

Reaper: Leader of BloodClan; tom; a black cat with white paws and tipped tail, he also has a white muzzle, his eyes are a dark brown; large and lean

Fallen: Deputy of BloodClan; tom; an orange cat with black ears, tail and brown tabby stripes, he has a single white paw and green eyes; lanky but muscular

Leader's Advisors: (They give out advise to the leader and help with the trainers on assessing and placing a new cat)

Lost: shecat; blue/gray pelt with silver eyes, has only half her tail; small

Diesel: tom; tortoishell of brown, hazel, and white with brown eyes

The Guards of BloodClan:

Cathair: Captain of the guard; tom; dark brown pelt with gray paws and spots along his back and tail, his chest and underbelly are white and he has bright green eyes; massive, but hunched over

Baylor: Second in Command and son of Cathair; tom; white pelt with a gray spot on his neck, back, and flank, he has brown paws and ears. He also has one black spot overlapped by the gray one on his shoulder, his eyes are a bright green; massive and muscular

Hail: trainer; tom; Brown with black spots and silver flecks

Sleet: trainer; shecat; silver tabby with one black paw and gray eyes; petite

Fang: trainer; tom; a brick red with a white chest and brown eyes; lanky

Titan: trainer; tom; calico, has ice colored eyes; massive

Jasper: tom; Black and white tabby with turquoise eyes; bulky and decently sized

Jagged: tom; brother of Jasper; Gray and black tabby cat with a white streak that goes down his muzzle, has sky blue eyes; also bulky and decently sized

Owl: shecat; dark and light brown tabby, has a black line that stretches down her back; small

Broken: tom; pale yellow and white tabby with a broken tail tip from a battle long ago, has blue eyes; large

Rose: shecat; a yellow shecat with a red hue and a white chest and paws, she has green eyes; petite

Fox: shecat; sister of Rose; orange pelt with a red hue, has white paws and a black tipped tail, also has deep green eyes; petite

Willow: shecat; light gray shecat with a dark gray face and back, fades out into a silver under belly and she has hazel eyes; large

Quake: tom; all black with yellow eyes; massive

Stitch: tom; gray with one black paw and crimson eyes, got his name after he was caught by the cutter and released neutered; large

Frostbite (Frost): tom; brother to Ghost and Smoke; silver body with white tipped paws and nose, has ice blue eyes; lanky

Smoke: shecat; sister to Frostbite and Ghost; smoke brindled with a pale gray, has a white chest and tipped ears, also has gray eyes; small

Ghost: tom; brother to Smoke and Frostbite; pure white with a silver tipped tail and ears, gray eyes with flecks of ice blue; large but lanky

Wander: tom; brown and black tabby with a white chest and has orange eyes; massive with lean build

Vic: tom; ginger and brown marbled, has a white muzzle and rings under his eyes; small

Wolf: shecat; Persian cat with a silver and brown pelt, has blue eyes; built but short

Shade: tom; red with a darker red belly and brown eyes; average

Nettle: shecat; sister to Havoc; Siamese, has blue eyes; petite but tall

Havoc: tom; Siamese, has blue eyes; massive

Rambo: tom; brick red tom with hazel eyes; lanky

 **Rouges:**

Blue: tom; silver gray cat with dark gray rings around his eyes and a black patch on his face, has stunning blue eyes; large and lean

Thatcher: tom; dark brown pelt with a sandy brown chest and paws, has white stripes on his face with brown eyes; large and built

There are other cats, they make up the queens, kits, and cats that are not in any official role but participate in battle when called upon if needed.

The Rise of Snake; Where It All Began: (I know this is long but some important history and insight is written in this so suck it up and love it! Love ya'll!)

A massive figure appeared from the shadows, stepping into the light of a streetlamp. He bore his fangs at a petite she cat, fear stricken in her eyes. He lurched at her, trapping the cat beneath his heavy paws "Run," he urgently whispered in her ear. She gave his muzzle a quick lick and dashed off into the alley, the one that lead out to the forest. He felt his pelt grow warm. Shaking it off, he scratched his muzzle with his claws, knowing that Rambo wasn't far behind and could probably see him.

"Baylor, where did she go?" A lanky red tom padded up beside him, out of breath. "You're one of the fastest guards, she couldn't have outrun you." The tom looked into his eyes, trusting… thank bones.

"She had a head start, and when I almost had her, the bastard clawed my muzzle. I'm not sure where she went." He puffed out his fur, looking Rambo dead in the eyes, almost daring him to say otherwise.

"I'll report back to Reaper, he won't be pleased. I suggest you hunt something now instead of waiting… he won't be likely to let you eat something tonight." The tom turned around quickly and dashed off, the shadows swallowing him.

Baylor padded off the opposite direction, down the alley towards the woods. _And hunt I shall._ He smirked. "Maple, you still here?" The tom ducked and climbed over fallen branches, debris from the housefolk's monsters when they tore up the clan's territory many moons ago. He was barely a moon old then, but he remembered Reaper's rage very clearly. His leader was not pleased to see so much territory go to waste, especially the bit that Scourge and Bone had died for.

"Baylor?" a hushed whisper sounded from above in a looming oak. The petite cat crawled down the tree and padded over to him. "Oh good, it is you. I was so worried I thought th-" her eyes grew wide when she saw his muzzle, three claw marks that ripped deep almost reaching the bone stretched over his nose. "Did they do this?" she mewed in horror.

Baylor shook his head, chuckling. "I've survived worse, I'll be fine." He licked his paw and ran it over his muzzle, cleaning off the blood. "How about you, will you be ok? You know, without your brother." He cleared his throat, recalling the gruesome scene. Her brother had kept her secrete, and in turn he had paid his life.

Maple's eyes grew watery, but she blinked it away quickly. "I don't know what to do now, I've never been on my own before… and I don't know how to fight." Her tail drooped, and her gaze bore into his, swimming with fear and shame.

"Well…I could teach you some, not tonight of course but maybe tomorrow." His gaze wavered, her eyes held such intensity. They were deep blue, with a little bit of silver woven in with it. They reminded him of a deep pool of water. Mesmerized, he felt his head swimming.

"Really? That'd be great!" She perked up, and he could've sworn he saw a spark in her eyes.

"Uh… yeah! Meet me here at the oak, tomorrow at moonhigh. Got it?" He twitched his whiskers, the ends of his lips turning up in a small smile.

"I'll be here." The shecat sat down onto her haunches, staring up at him since he was almost twice her size. He held her gaze, he knew he had to leave now but his paws felt heavy and they held him in place. With a small trill she hopped up and touched her nose to his. A deep purr rumbled in his chest and throat. "You better go."

"I know. I'll be back." Baylor forced himself to turn away and lumber into the forest back towards the city. Upon arriving, he could hear some nearby cats. He scented the air, _Nettle and Harley_. They were new recruits, two housefolk cats that had wanted more than the pampered life that the housefolk could offer them. They were inexperienced and wouldn't be likely to catch his or Maple's scent. He silently slid away and padded in the direction Rambo did, towards Reaper's den.

As he walked along the streets, cats did their best to avoid his gaze and keep their head low. He wasn't lead guard, yet… But with his captain, Cathair, sick it wasn't out of the question that he would be chosen. Baylor was known for his size and strength, and knowledge on battle tactics. He learned from the best after all, Cathair was the best warrior to ever enter Reaper's forces, and he was his son.

Baylor turned into the alley that leads to Reaper's den. "We found this rogue trying to steal out of one of our bins sir. He says he wants to join." Steel's voiced bounced off the walls and reached his ears. Baylor padded up behind her, and sat down waiting for his turn.

"Really? Speak rogue! What is your name and why do you wish to join my glorious clan?" Reaper unsheathed his claws hooking them onto the trash bin that was Scourge's long ago.

"Blue, and I wish to seek sanctuary here from all the other rogues. I also wish to be part of something." The tom spoke clearly and loudly to Reaper. _He has guts that's for sure._

"Very well, Steel escort him to Flint and have her assess and rename this rogue. Lost will place him." His pelt spiked up, from obvious annoyance that Blue didn't seem too frightened of him, the bold tom looked uninterestedly off to the side. Steel nodded and directed Blue out of the den. Reaper's attention was now on him. "Report." Baylor knew Rambo already gave the report, Reaper was testing him.

"Sir, I pursued the she cat to our border. I managed to pin her down, but she got lose and scratched my muzzle. In the moment, I couldn't focus and she slipped out of my grip and I lost sight of her. I tried to follow her scent trail but I lost it in some puddles. I failed to bring her to you, I am ready for judgment." He stood tall, looking at his leader respectively in the eye. The tom harbored a malicious gleam in his eyes, his tail flicked from side to side.

Reaper jumped off his bin and walked over to him, "and judgment you shall receive." The tom, though large still was smaller than Baylor, walked around his guard. "I can't have you severely injured so," Reaper dug his claws into his pelt and ripped them down his shoulder making Baylor groan from the sharp sensation that pulsated through him, "this will have to do. No food tonight and I want you on an extra patrol at sunhigh tomorrow." He crawled back onto his bin, "Snipe betrayed us, by hiding his sister from me. We must find her; she is a flaw in my perfect system." Reaper bore into his gaze, searching for anything, a flicker or waver of doubt, in Baylor's eyes. After a moment, the tom narrowed his eyes before turning back to his throne.

Baylor limped out of the den, heading towards Cathair's den. It was located a few blocks down near the training camp. This was all for Maple, Snipe wasn't going to die for nothing, his closest and most trusted friend. _This system is full of flaws Reaper, and hell worthy sins_. He thought back to when he was five moons, when he first met Snipe. Snipe's mother was 'welcomed' into the clan, but she was useless and couldn't give anything back. Once her two kits were old enough his mother was mauled by dogs in an accident, _yeah right_ , and it was thought Maple had been killed also. Snipe had kept her secrete in an old housefolk's den just outside of BloodClan territory. He let Baylor in on the secrete when they both made it as a guard, he needed his help. It wasn't long after when Maple began to grow on him.

"Cathair, Baylor; Second in Command, permission to enter." Baylor mewed at the entrance of an old dog house. It was customary for a member of the guard to list their name and position to a rank that was above their own before entering a den.

"Permission granted," an old and forced mew came from inside. Baylor stepped inside, his pupils dilated to the darkness of the den.

"Father, how are you feeling?" He laid down beside Cathair, paws tucked under his body. Cathair was one of the few cats larger than Baylor.

"I've been better. What happened to your muzzle and shoulder? My son should be able to dodge and prevent any blow." His father wasn't pleased and he could tell. He knew he had high expectations, but Cathair was never one for gentle words either. While he was disappointed in Baylor he was also furious with whoever hurt his son, but that was life in BloodClan.

"I was in charge of the pursuit and capture of Snipe's sister and I failed, Reaper made sure that next time I would put forth more effort." Baylor looked at the floor, avoiding his father's eyes.

"I see. You'll get her next time, I trained you well enough." The trainees were sent to the training camp to be trained by Hail, Sleet, Fang, and Titan, but since Cathair was his father Reaper had made an exception to allow Baylor to be trained by him.

"Yes sir, I'm on both the Dawn and Sunhigh Patrol so I must rest up. You should get some rest too, I have Intel that Reaper might be wanting a battle party organized for an attack on the group of rogues that have settled nearby. They did attack Diesel so I don't doubt it." He yawned deeply before resting his head on the grass below. He was soon pulled into a deep sleep.

"Baylor, get up. You're on the Dawn Patrol, were waiting for you." He pried his eyes open and stretched out his front paws. Standing up he also arched his back and padded out to join Fang, Jagged, and Jasper.

"I'm up, so what's the run today?" He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, and sat down to groom his face, being careful not to apply pressure on his sore muzzle.

"Fallen wanted us to scan our border on the west side and then move along to check the east border." Jagged replied, Fallen is Reaper's deputy.

"So check up on the group of rogues" he pointed out.

"Exactly" Fang smirked. Baylor wasn't a fan of Fang, the cat was good at what he did and a valued member of the guard, but something about him was off. Now that he thought about it, the tom reminded him of his leader. Reaper was good at what he did, but he had a lose wire somewhere.

"Let's get a move on then, I need to be back by sunhigh." Jasper took lead, and set the pace at a fast trot. The patrol cut through the cutter's pass, staying in the shadows to avoid being seen. Jasper lifted his tail up signaling them to stay, and he padded cautiously ahead. A minute or two he returned.

"There's a dog up ahead. What should we do?" A gleam shone in Fang's eye, and Baylor could tell that he wanted to attack and maybe get a few teeth out of it.

"I could use a few teeth in my collar, and Reaper would be pleased if we brought him the canines." Fang stood, tail twitching in anticipation. Baylor was right.

He shook his head, "we should continue to the west and east border, if I'm not back by Sunhigh then Reaper will have my pelt. And you all know I can't return alone without a good excuse." Jasper sympathized with him and nodded in agreement.

"We can always come back after the patrol" Jagged mentioned, siding with his brother. Fang looked displeased, and sent a small glare towards him, but it went away as quickly as it came. _Smart of you to wipe it off your face before I did_ , Baylor smirked to himself.

Jasper led the patrol along a fence, as far from the dog as they could manage in order to avoid conflict. The dog was a mangy creature, with big droopy eyes and large jowls, it was sleeping. They managed to get past it. Soon after they reached the west border, and found no recent trace of the rogues. Baylor and Jagged were sent by Jasper to further inspect the border he went with Fang to check out the east border. They were to regroup in the middle of the east and west border.

Baylor was scanning some brush when he came across a tuft of orange fur, it didn't smell of BloodClan. "Hey Jagged, come with me. Let's check out this area." He stepped over the border line and walked into the ruins of a building so old it had forest growth in and around it. He felt Jagged's hefty presence flanking him and boldly walked into the area. "Keep you senses alert, I think they nearby."

A yowl pierced the air and a large brown tom, charged at them flanked by an orange and white shecat, and a small white tom with a horrendous scar down his face.

"Brace yourself Jagged; I'll have your back if you have mine." Baylor tensed up his muscles, preparing for their attack.

"Yes sir" the tom crouched down and his muscles rippled, he was going for power instead of strategy. The shecat was the first to arrive, and as she went to pounce on Baylor Jagged leapt up and caught her by the throat before she could land bringing her to the ground. The brown tom moved quickly to attack Jagged, fury in his eyes.

Baylor charged after him and hooked his claws into the gruff tom's shoulder prying him off of his guard and threw him onto the ground. The small white tom leapt up onto Baylor using his size to his advantage and crawled up onto Baylor's shoulder raking his claws across his wound. Baylor yowled in pain and rolled onto his back in attempt to crush his attacker.

The tom crawled up onto his belly clawing at it and Baylor swatted his large paw at the tom's head knocking him off. Baylor then got to his feet and sunk his teeth into the white tom's tail feeling it snap. He wasn't looking to take a life today. The tom withered around yowling in pain clawing at Baylor's face in attempt to get him to let him loose. Baylor let his opponent go and the tom dashed away up the hill he came from.

Jasper was fighting the remaining tom blow for blow; _this rogue has been trained_. Baylor ran over to help and the tom caught him off guard by swiveling in his direction, swiping his massive claws catching him just above his eye tearing through some flesh causing Baylor to slip. Jagged took advantage of the distraction and bit down on the tom's back forepaw snapping the tendon. The tom screeched and snatched his leg away hissing while backing up.

He assessed his situation, looking at both Baylor and Jagged. With a mournful glance at the shecat who lay in a small pool of blood that oozed from her throat and shoulders, he charged at Jagged once more, his leg dragging behind him uselessly.

Jagged met him head on and Baylor crouched down waiting patiently. The brown tom, balancing on one leg now left his back exposed. He advanced and bit down on the back of the tom's neck and bore down in one of the grooves of his spine, snapping it. The cat fell limp, and Jagged dealt the killing blow across his neck. They sat in silence for a minute, catching their breath.

"Good work Jagged, how injured are you?" Baylor could see the tom's shoulder, flank, and ear were oozing blood.

"I nearly had my pelt clawed off, and a chunk taken out of my shoulder but otherwise fine, how about you sir?" He was hunched over from exhaustion but his eyes were filled with pride.

"I'll be fine, I believe this is a good enough of an excuse to return don't you?" Some humor was laced in his voice, trying to lighten up the situation. Jagged nodded his head letting out a breathy laugh.

Their wounds slowed them down, and it was past Sunhigh when the two returned. Fallen was waiting for Baylor, with Jasper and Fang at his side. "About time you showed up, what did you get into?" Fallen was a more serious cat, but he wasn't as harsh as Reaper was.

"We found the rogues over the border some, and they attacked us. We won the battle with two casualties on their side." Baylor dipped his head signaling he had finished reporting.

"You two are relieved from your duties for the rest of the day. I'll report back to Reaper, dismissed." The deputy flicked his tail and turned away, leaving the patrol to themselves.

"Jasper and Fang, can you report to Cathair for me? I need to rest." Baylor knew his father would ask him about the battle later, but for now he needed some sleep.

"Will do, come on Fang." Jasper nodded his head in the direction of Cathair's den.

"Wait, what about the dog?" Fang swayed his tail along the ground, his claws flexing in and out eagerly.

"Don't you think there's been enough bloodshed Fang? The dog can wait for another day." Fang pinned his ears back, but complied and set off in a run to Cathair.

Baylor walked over to an empty box and crawled inside, curling into a tight ball, he heard Jagged limp away to his den, then everything was gone. He was in the forest, looking for Maple. He found her, lying in a pool of blood like the shecat from the battle. Instead of the gruff tom, it was him mourning the loss of his love.

Baylor jolted awake, and noticed it was near moonhigh. He shook his aching head, and licked his shoulder a bit before pulling himself up. His whole body ached with pain, but he promised Maple he'd show up and he'll keep it.

He drug his body over logs and under fallen branches until he reached the oak tree. She was waiting for him at the roots of it, and ran up as soon as she saw his state. "Are you going to make a habit of this? Showing up every time we meet battered?" She started grooming his shoulder, the worst of the wounds on his body. He rumbled a purr, and began grooming her shoulder also. He heard her trill rise up.

She groomed off all the caked blood and gently licked his muzzle and above his eye. He pressed his body up against hers, entwining her tail with his. She leaned into his muscular body and pressed her nose into his neck. "Lets wait a bit before you teach me how to fight." She rubbed her head up under his chin and he pushed her down onto the ground gently.

"Why wait, why not now?" He rumbled gently. She pawed at his belly, careful to avoid the claw marks there. "Come on, see if you beat me" he looked into her eyes challengingly. Maple shrugged.

"You asked for it." She suddenly jabbed her hind paws in his abdomen knocking the breath out of him. She slipped out of his grip and pounced onto Baylor knocking him over. Maple stood over him, smirking. "That's what you get for getting hurt again."

"So wait, you hurt me for getting hurt? How does that make any sense?" He huffed out.

"I hurt you for scaring me again, what happened anyways? Reaper didn't do this did he?" She laid down beside him, snuggled up against his belly. He spooned her with his head and tail.

"No, I was checking the west border where some rogues have been causing trouble and a few confronted Jagged and I. It's not anything serious yet, but I can imagine Cathair will want me to help him organize a battle party before too long." He saw the worry in her eyes and he licked between her ears in attempt to soothe her. "I'll be fine" he assured her. "I always am aren't I?"

"Yes, but there's a first for everything and in BloodClan there's only ever a first…" her voice trailed off. "I don't want to think about this now. Oh! I found this abandoned barn. I thought it might be a safer place for me to stay… and you maybe… for us to stay."

Baylor pulled back and sighed. "There's no where I would rather be, but if I leave now it will only put you in danger. As soon as it is safe, I will leave with you." She sat up as her trill rose again. "For now you should move there, I won't be able to travel back here for a few days. I will visit you at the barn, ok?"

"Yes sir" she mocked, with a glimmer of playfulness in her eye. He grinned and pushed her back down, nuzzling her. She entwined her tail around his and nipped his nose. Baylor's pelt grew warm, and he moved to nip her ear in return. Maple flushed, and by the first sign of dawn he left her still asleep to visit Cathair. Though his body was worn and slow, his spirit made him spritely.

"Cathair, Baylor: Second in Command, permission to enter." He stood outside of his father's dog house.

"Permissions granted. I wondered when you were going to stop by." Baylor laid down beside his father. "Report, those two foxbrains you sent yesterday weren't helpful."

"Sorry Sir, Jagged and I were left at the west border to scope out some more to see what we could find. I discovered a tuft of orange fur near the collapsed house. Jagged and I went to investigate and three rogues charged from over the hill, a white tom with a scar down his face, a brown tom with ragged fur, and an orange and white shecat. The only survivor was the white tom." Baylor recalled the events on the day before.

"How did they fight? What did they aim for? How fast were they? Tell me all of it." He and Cathair discussed the rogues for almost the whole day, and fell asleep near moonhigh.

"Wake up son! Fallen just gave direct orders from Reaper. We are to have a battle patrol ready by Sunhigh tomorrow. Get moving now, we have a lot of work to do and I'm not getting any younger." Cathair shook Baylor awake, "don't let your old man out do you now." He prodded. Baylor pulled himself up slowly, his shoulder aching, most everything else had healed up nicely. Looking up at the sky he saw it was past sunrise.

"I'm up, who do you suggest we put where?" Cathair walked out of the doghouse, leaving his son hanging. "Ok…" Baylor followed after him, knowing he was in one of his power modes.

"Everyone gather before me, it's time we prepared for battle!" Cathair caterwauled. The guards, one by one, gathered before him, eyes bright and eager. "The rogues have provoked us and they threaten our way of life. They must be eliminated. I need Titan with your three best recruits, this is their chance to prove themselves as true guards, Ghost, Sleet, Jasper, Stitch, Fox, Wander, Nettle, and Willow on the first wave. Broken, Frostbite, and Owl, you three will be located in some underbrush where you can leap in and out attack the cats the first wave move towards you." Cathair stood tall, his sickness and age seemingly gone. He looked young and strong once more.

"Be quick too, you need to appear as more than just three cats." Baylor added, Cathair nodded at the three.

"Baylor you will lead the second wave up from behind. On your force will be Quake, Havoc, Smoke, Fox, Fang, Hail, Wolf, Jagged, and Vic. I need all cats to sharpen their claws and teeth, and if you wear dog teeth sharpen those too. Gather at Sunhigh tomorrow, outside of Reaper's den. If you don't show, you'll answer to Baylor." Baylor unsheathed his claws and narrowed his eyes warningly. "I will have some of the other BloodClan cats on hand for reinforcements. Dismissed!" Baylor sheathed his claws and turned to go visit Maple, _I need to let her know_. "Wait, where do you think you're going? I need you here to help with the guards. Age has finally caught up with me… I can't watch over and instruct them anymore. Let this battle be your final test, the minute its over I'm announcing my retirement."

Baylor froze, _retirement?_ "Father-, uh I mean Cathair, you can't retire! Reaper throws out cats he no longer has a use for."

"Son, look at me. I can't even groom myself properly, my heart doesn't function correctly, and I'm nearly blind in my left eye. I've held onto my position longer than I should have. And frankly, if you weren't my son and my second in command some ambitious cat would've replaced me with themselves long before now. You know it's true." Baylor hung his head, he did indeed know. He had almost killed a cat who challenged his father seasons ago; he had chased him out of the clan actually. Reaper wasn't pleased.

"I know I can't convince you otherwise but please reconsider… Fallen wants to create a small sanctuary for our elders who had served the clan well and if you wait for him to take control…" He trailed off into his own thoughts.

"Reaper is younger than me by a lot, he will outlive me. Its time you grew up, and accept my fate as I have." Cathair padded to his den to rest, as he always did these days. He didn't mean to sound harsh, but Baylor wasn't making this easier for him.

The next morning Baylor gathered the battle patrols, and with a final goodbye to his father, he left for Reaper's den. The guards followed their soon to be Captain quietly and devotionally. Most of the guard's loyalty lied with their captain and not their leader and they strived for his approval, but Reaper was blind to it thank bones.

"Baylor: Second in Command, and battle patrol reporting and ready to attack on your word sir." He stood outside of Reaper's den, waiting for his leader's response. There was none, instead the tom stepped out with sharpened dog teeth attached to his color and claws. "Sir, are you fighting with us?"

"Yes fool, what kind of leader would I be if I didn't fight with my clan?" He smirked. "I'm eager to get my paws dirty; it's been a while since I've fought." Baylor dipped his head and he stepped back into his forces, letting Reaper take control. "Go to the West border, staying near cutter's pass. I'll arrive shortly; I must speak with my advisors." The tom caterwauled, sending his cats to the border, Baylor amongst them. However, when they passed by the alley that leads off into the forest he slowed down, letting everyone pass him and he slipped into the shadows.

Baylor sped up his pace; passing the oak tree and heading off into the direction maple had told him the barn was. He arrived before too long, and saw that out into a Moore sat the old rickety barn she spoke of. _It is perfect, not too far but far enough_. He shot down from the forest out into the grassy hills, reaching the barn panting.

"Baylor?" Maple leapt off the loft, and padded over touching her muzzle to his. "Hey, I didn't expect you for a few days. "Something wrong?" She pulled back and looked at him with a concerned expression.

"No, were just heading into battle against the rogues. I wanted to let you know, stay inside. I don't think they'll try to flee here but you never know with rogues." He flicked his ear, his paws itching to head back before his battle patrol went looking for him.

"Oh, you better come back with your fur intact, and those handsome ears unscathed," she huffed, faking a stern glare. Baylor let out a small chuckle and licked her between the ears.

"I need to go now… I've already stayed too long." Maple nodded understandingly, and rubbed her pelt against his before she turned back and climbed back onto the loft. Baylor gave her a quick smile before he dashed back through the Moore and into the woods. He ran hard, his eyes watery from the twigs whipping at his face. Cats watched as he raced by, and he could hear his steps echo throughout cutter's pass. Finally, he skidded to a stop nearly running into Reaper.

"Where have you been" Reaper snarled down at him. "We've been waiting on you, the guards said you knew the strategy and that you needed to be here to instruct them. If you want to be Captain, show it."

"I was replacing one of my dog teeth, it had broken off. I apologize sir, it won't happen again." Reaper leaned down, suspicion in his eyes. Something flashed across them, but it had faded out before Baylor could pinpoint what it was.

"It better not. Attention, Baylor will now _instruct_ you." Reaper stood up and turned to face his cats. Baylor picked himself up and shook out his pelt, raising his tail commanding his guard's attention and respect.

"Wave one, scouts came back to report to Cathair that the rogue's camp was past the ruins over the hill, and located by a large boulder. You will drive the cats from there to the hill. Broken, Frost, and Owl, you three will be located in the brush. You know what to do. Wave two, charge up the hill and trap them between our forces. Reinforcements will arrive soon and if you are seriously injured you will switch places with a cat. Into your positions." The cats heeded his word, and wave one grouped together and set off to the rogue's camp, Frostbite, Broken, and Owl head headed out disappearing into the ruins. Baylor the led his patrol and Reaper past the border and they settled behind logs, pieces of the building, and underbrush.

Moons seemed to past, and Baylor struggled to avoid the gaze of Reaper. The tom kept staring at him, eyes narrowed and ears slightly folded back. _What's his problem_. Baylor could hear the reinforcements arrive and settle at the border behind them, ready to jump in when needed.

Finally, he picked up distant screeches and caterwauls. "Remember, you are not fighting just to please Cathair today, but your leader also. Keep in my mind too, that the rogues have settled here for a reason. If we defeat them, we can claim their land." Baylor nodded to Reaper, who bore a wicked grin on his face.

The cries grew louder, and he could make out the silhouettes of cats on the top of the hill. Some of his guards let out low growls from deep within their throat, and he could hear their tails lashing over the ground. The cats drew closer, and Baylor saw Frostbite, Owl, and Broken leap in and out of the brush, clawing and biting at whoever was closest. "Wait for it." He muttered, "wait…" Baylor bunched up his muscles, ready to spring. A few of the rogues looked around them, searching for an escape."Now!" He lurched forward with his guards pelting after him, caterwauling their own battle cries.

Baylor surged up the hill, and rammed into a massive black and white tom that had Jasper pinned beneath him. The tom staggered off but maintained his balance, and hissed at Baylor. "Mangy BloodClan!" He yowled and leapt at Baylor, who sidestepped him and turned around, hooking his reinforced claws into the tom's flank and raked back, tearing through muscle and scraping bone. The tom screeched in pain as he fell backwards, revealing his stomach. Baylor took the opportunity to rip his claws through the cats belly leaving him gasping in agony. Baylor powered through the withering masses and saw the white tom looming over Rambo who laid motionless on the forest floor.

Baylor charged at the tom, but he dove under him clawing his abdomen. He hissed in surprise and swiftly turned around swiping his claws at the tiny cat. With ease the white tom dodged him, and once again dove under Baylor this time ramming up knocking the breath out of him. The tom then bit into his forepaw, reaching the bone. Baylor yowled and threw the tom off. He tried to dive under him once more but he reared up on his hind paws, swiveling around, and brought them down as hard as he could onto the tom, crushing him beneath his weight. He felt bones crunch, and the tom withered in pain and shock. Baylor grabbed him by the throat and yanked back tearing his jugular, the tom went limp soon after. Another cat latched onto his back and bit down on the nape of his neck, he fell backwards landing on her. Her brother or he assumed it was her brother, bit into his freshly wounded forepaw. Baylor kicked him with his hind legs, feeling his claws tear through his pelt, and stood up. The shecat went to leap at him again but he caught her by her shoulder and he threw her at the tom. They both tumbled onto the ground and three of his guards tackled and mauled them.

He looked around him, and saw some of the reinforcements come in, trading places with Jasper, Fox, and Quake. All three cats were limping, and soaked in blood. Most of the rogues had fallen, and the ones left were growing slower with each attack. He moved to help out Smoke, who was battling off two younger cats. He ran over and slammed his paw down onto the bigger one's shoulder, causing her to slip and crash onto the ground. "BloodClan filth, Felicity will have her revenge." The shecat spat in his face, and clawed his muzzle over the older wound. Blinded by pain Baylor stepped back, and heard a crunch. Once he regained his composure he saw that Smoke had killed both of the cats.

"BloodClan, retreat!" Reaper yowled out, his pelt dripping with blood. Baylor knew none of it was his. The cats fell back, leaving the few remaining battered rogues to themselves. He began to pad down the hill but Reaper stopped him, "not you Baylor, stay with me." Baylor cautiously walked over to his leader.

"Sir?" He stood in front of him, to wary to sit down. He knew Reaper was up to something, and he had to be careful. Moons seemed to pass, and the fire in the leader's eyes burned brighter with every passing moment threatening to consume the trees around him.

"Where is she?" He growled, his claws dug into the sodden earth, grinding it.

"Who?" Baylor struggled to keep his composition. Reaper was eyeing him menacingly; if looks could kill he would've keeled over right then.

"Don't lie to me, Maple! I could smell her on your pelt, I still can!" Reaper lashed out his forepaw, slashing Baylor's shoulder wound open once more. He buckled slightly, groaning. _It's always the shoulder!_

"It's not what you think Reaper," he said in a husky voice. He stood tall once more, raising his tail high in the air.

"Traitor!" Reaper leaped at him and Baylor dodged the tom easily, he clawed at his back, leaving gages. Reaper hissed in fury and spun around, this time being more careful. He tackled Baylor into the ground, focused on causing injury more than avoiding it. Baylor slashed at his face with his forepaws, and flanks with his back forelegs trying to escape the tight ball Reaper had trapped him in. Finally, he got his hind legs underneath the tom and threw him off. Baylor leapt up and rammed his head into Reaper's shoulder, throwing him onto the ground.

"Reaper please," he mewed breathily, "reconsider, she could be valuable to the clan." Reaper wasn't having it though; he sprung up and continued the onslaught. Baylor felt needle like teeth clamp around his neck just below his color, any higher and he would've suffered dearly. Baylor twisted his neck down catching Reaper's head between his chin and chest. He let himself fall, taking Reaper down with him. He let go of his neck and reared up, aiming for Baylor's throat. He managed to roll over before his claws crashed down. Baylor half threw himself at Reaper knocking him off balance, he then kicked his hind legs into Reaper's side making him fall. Baylor lurched up and raked his claws over Reaper's eye, gorging it. Reaper pushed himself away, still on the ground, howling in pain.

Baylor advanced, slashing at the tom's body. He pushed past Baylor and dove underneath him in attempt to escape his relentless claws. Standing up he slashed at Baylor's face, making him back up against a boulder. Baylor felt his back scraping against the hard surface, and he ducked his head down and rammed it into Reaper's body. He then dug his hind claws into the ground and pushed off, turning Reaper towards the boulder. He hooked his forepaw onto his face and bashed his head up against the boulder and a sickening crack rang out. Reaper fell limp, lifeless at Baylor's paws.

He stood there for a moment, staring down at his leader in disbelief. He was panting heavily, his breath ragged. _What did I just do? I just put Maple in more danger. No. It'll be ok… they'll think it was a rogue. We'll both be fine._ He shook his pelt and winced, _I just killed my leader…_ Baylor stood over the once proud and seemingly untouchable tom, who laid crumpled at his paws. He took a deep breath, gathered himself and then he limped across the border to regroup with the others by the training camp.

"Baylor! Come celebrate with us." Smoke padded up to him purring, she let her pelt brush against his. "Were harassing the housefolk's dogs down by the creek."

"No… I think I'll go hunt." Baylor paused and licked his shoulder, slowing the trickle of blood. Smoke flattened her ears disappointedly, but shook it off and trotted over to Quake throwing him a flashy grin. Baylor trotted off towards the barn, and he picked up his own scent trail. _I'll need to take a different path next time._

Baylor bit back a yowl when some thorns caught onto his torn fur, he needed to stay quiet. He shoved past the thorns, letting them pull out tufts of fur. He finally reached the field, and let out a sigh of relief. The moon eliminated a soft glow, lighting up the field and barn. He stepped into it, letting the Moore swallow him up. He felt his paws grow light, and he sped up into a lope. "Maple!" Baylor skid into the barn, ignoring the sharp pain that shot up his haunches.

"Baylor!" She tackled him, her trill breaking piercing the silence. He grunted but went with it, and rolled with her on the wooden floor. She jumped off and settled beside a rusted wheel barrow. "Are you alright? Did you win?" She kneaded an old bale of hay. Baylor rolled onto his side and held her gaze, "nothing I won't come back from and of course we won" he snickered.

"I knew you would." Maple rolled onto her back, revealing her abdomen. She watched him expectantly and when he didn't say anything she sighed. "I have something to tell you," she stood up and walked over to lie down beside him. He perked up his ears in interest.

"Yes, dear?" He cooed playfully. Baylor stretched out his forepaw swatting at her gently. He then set it down on her right side, so that he was half over her and winked. She let out a small laugh. Baylor flashed her a charming grin, and nipped her ear. "So, what is it you wanted to tell me?" He whispered huskily into her ear.

"You know, it can wait until the morning," she sent him a sly smile. Baylor's eyes lit up, and he curled his tail around her.

"If you say so," he purred. They began to groom each other, and fell asleep entwined together.

The sun's rays shone through the open door, hitting Baylor's eyes waking him up. He sat up, and winced from his aching body. _Wait, where's Maple?_ He stood up frantically, and looked around. "Maple?" he called out, listening for a response.

"Up here, come see what I've been working on." Her sweet voice came down from the loft. He gave his chest a few licks and pulled himself slowly up the ladder and onto the loft. He spotted Maple dragging a ragged quilt to a bed of hay and moss.

"What's this?" Baylor walked over to her and gave her a lick on the shoulder in greeting, and looked down at the small nest.

"It's a bed for me; I'll need it in a moon or two." Maple flattened out the quilt, covering up the padding beneath it. Baylor looked at her puzzled.

"Why?" Maple laughed to herself, _this tom can't take a hint_. She curled up in her nest, and she knew that she would tweak it later.

"Baylor… I'm carrying your kits." His pelt fluffed up, eyes filled with shock.

"Wait, _my_ kits?!" He sat down, feeling dizzy. _How will I protect them?_ Baylor stared at Maple, noticing that her belly was slightly swollen. "How do you know? It's only been a few nights an-" realization struck him. He fell back on his haunches, numb to the pain that protested against the movement. He thought back to a little over a half moon ago, when he had become mates with her. It wasn't completely official, couldn't have been given the circumstances, but Snipe was thrilled for them. _Snipe! He had known, that's why, that's why he tried to move her away from BloodClan._ It all seemed clear now.

Why didn't he notice before? Maple looked up at him, it was clear that she wanted the litter. It's not that he didn't, it just wasn't the best timing. Baylor sat there staring at the floor. He looked up at Maple after a minute, and saw a hint of sadness and doubt in her steady gaze. Baylor immediately felt a stab of guilt and he walked over to her, and laid down in front of her. He leaned down towards her abdomen and pressed his muzzle to it and closed his eyes, purring. He opened them back up and watched his mate, and he saw all the doubt and sadness wash away. _I'll be the best father and mate there is._

Thank you for reading the first chapter! Hoped you liked it! I edited it slightly from the original one, adding details to make the story flow more clearly, the plot didn't change so it wouldn't be that big of a difference. So those who get notifications or read back, you know what's up . Feel free to leave your opinions in the reviews, or PM me!


	2. Behind the Barn's Walls

**Characters:** (only those who appear in this chapter)

Blood Clan:

Baylor: Captain of the Guard; tom; white pelt with a gray spot on his neck, back, and flank, he has brown paws and ears. He also has one black spot overlapped by the gray one on his shoulder, his eyes are a bright green; massive and muscular

Rogues:

Maple: shecat; a deep mahogany pelt with golden swirls, a white chest, muzzle, paws, and tail with one red spot at the end of it. She has soft blue eyes; petite with long legs

Snake: shecat, daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long golden pelt with darker golden/mahogany swirls, a white chest, paws, underbelly, underside of tail and tip of tail. Also has bright green and lively eyes with silver woven into them and dark brown ears; petite with long legs

Ace: tom, son of Baylor and Maple; has a thick dark brown pelt that darkened into a black as it neared his belly and down his legs, his face is black with dark brown tabby markings strewn across it, has a single white paw and soft blue eyes; Massive like his father

Soot: shecat; daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long silvery smoke pelt with dark gray paws and tipped tail, has white tipped ears and muzzle and a dark gray spot on her shoulder like her father's, one eye is soft blue and the other a green; petite with long legs

The Rise of Snake:

The air was thick with moisture, fog creeping steadily through the moor into a worn barn. The paint was peeling off in small strips, and the wood had gaps between the boards. In the barn rusted equipment and moldy hay lay strewn across the floor and up against the walls, and if you looked past it, up on a loft, you would see a litter of three kittens; two shekits and a tom. The runt of the litter, a shekit, shivered from the dew that beaded on her thin pelt. She mewled in protest, and crawled over her sister feebly to snuggle between her and their brother. She relied merely on scent to guide her, for both her ears and her eyes were still closed off from the world. She was barely three sunrises old. The kitten called out for her mother, yearning the warmth and milk she had to offer. The kit's siblings soon joined her.

Familiar steps joined them onto the loft, and the kit felt gentle rasps on her forehead. She opened her small jowls showing her soft pink mouth and long white teeth in a mewl. Maple trilled, and curled around her litter directing each of them to a teat. She smiled warmly as they each suckled greedily. She raised her gaze and looked longingly out into the moor towards the woods; she wrapped her long and soft tail around the litter protectively. _Where are you Baylor?_ Tiny paws kneaded her abdomen, and three small sets of purrs filled the air. Maple couldn't help but to look lovingly down at her kits. By now, their pelts were really beginning to show and she could pick out the differences and who had what. The tom reminded her of Snipe, and a pang of sadness struck her heart. She knew he would've loved them, and she yearned for her brother. She let out a languishing sigh, and began to groom the tom. He even smelled a little bit like Snipe, she fought the urge to run into the city, and wander the streets looking for him. She knew he didn't survive, but there will always be that ray of hope that he somehow lived through the slashing claws and punishing teeth of Reaper. _Reaper_ Maple could feel a small growl rise in her chest.

A board creaked and she snapped her head up, ears perked and eyes keen. Her tail fluffed up, hiding her kits beneath them, and she pulled them closer to her belly. Images of Reaper, as silly as it may have seemed, filled her mind. _No, he's dead… He can't hurt my family anymore…_ Maple shook her head as if all the horrible images would fall out and leave her alone. She scented the air, _Baylor!_ "Maple?" She heard him call out, uncertainty and curiosity laced in his voice. Her fur lied flat, _Baylor will protect us, and Reaper is dead because of him. Hush kits, all is well…_ The runt began to squirm around, sensing her mother's anxiety.

"Don't worry love, were up on the loft" She heard him take a deep breath, and waited anxiously as he clambered up the ladder and heaved himself onto the loft. Baylor dropped a squirrel at his paws and took in a sharp breath, holding it for a moment. Maple lifted her tail away from her abdomen, revealing the three tiny bundles, still suckling greedily. The runt had gone back to her meal, and seemingly forgot Maple's flash of paranoia. She kept her gaze on him, and watched as his eyes melted into soft pools. His tailed raised in greeting and he trotted over to her pressing his muzzle into her neck. Maple began to trill and she gave his ear a small lick. Baylor rested himself on his paws, trapping the kits between him and her in a secure embrace.

"They're beautiful Maple." His voice cracked, and Maple was taken aback since she had never seen him break, ever. Baylor stared at the kits, taking them in for the first time. He looked closely at each of them, _I'm a father…_ He couldn't believe it.

"Baylor…" his gaze didn't shift from the kits "I wanted to name the tom Ace." He slowly looked into her eyes, and he could see pools of emotion swell up in them. He swallowed his emotion so that he could comfort her and began to groom her forehead.

"After Snipe," he murmured gently. "I think it's perfect."

"It's the name mom gave him, before he was taken." She closed her eyes tightly, fighting back tears. It was still too soon, even though he was killed nearly four moons ago. Baylor understood, he watched his own sister die too young because of Reaper's infatuation for the spill of blood… She had been too confident, and in turn he placed her with a seasoned guard to battle until one could no longer stand. Her spine was snapped, and she was battered and taunted for two sunrises until he finally had to put her out of her misery. He never told Maple this, for he didn't want to reopen old wounds… Her name was Viper.

"I think the gray one should be Soot, she looks like she treaded in it." Baylor looked back down at his kits, in attempt to lighten the mood. The silvery shekit stopped suckling, and fell asleep. Maple nodded, blinking her eyes quickly to clear the sadness from them. "And the third, well… What do you think?"

She looked down at the frail kit, at first Maple had doubted that she'd make it through the night but somehow she pulled through. After a moment, she finally looked up. "Snake… Her fangs, they're like those of a snake's." Baylor nodded approvingly, slightly taken aback by the coincidence. Maple yawned deeply, clearly exhausted from long nights of mewling and demanding kits. Baylor chuckled lightly and then rested his head on her paws, so she could rest hers on his shoulders. Maple smiled gratefully as she laid her head on his broad shoulders, and lost herself in his deep purr.

Snake took in the scent of the strange tom beside of her, and she felt a pull to him. She struggled to move herself off her mother's teat; she still hadn't gained much mobility. Snake dug her face into his fur, which was thicker than her mother's. He smelled a little bit like Soot, and she enveloped herself into his fur drifting off into a light sleep. Baylor opened one eye, surprised and warmed by this tiny kit embedding herself into his belly. He cleared his throat, trying to hide the awkwardness he was experiencing, and forced himself to relax. Snake let her tiny purr rise in her throat and Baylor smiled lovingly, he still couldn't believe it. _How can I protect them?_ He thought back to Fallen, who had a little too enthusiastically taken Reaper's place. Cathair had retired from his duties, and was allowed to remain in BloodClan as an advisor for Baylor. Of course, he had ranked up to Captain of the Guard and his forces all had a deep respect for him… Except Fang, but he expected no less. Fallen had kept most everything the same, but now he was speaking to Cathair about the possibility of moving their clan to the woods a good quarter moon travel from here. He wanted to send out two patrols, one seven sunrises apart from each other, to go and scavenge the area. Some rogue had visited with tales of the place, and Fallen was immediately hooked. If Reaper was still around, Fallen would've been left for the dogs to play with by now. His head pounded, plagued by the concerns he had… How could he protect his kits and Maple if he was many sunrises away? He couldn't, and the kits were much too young to travel. Also, the risk of them being discovered would be too great for them to try and follow the Clan.

Snake let out one of the smallest mewls Baylor ever heard, and all of his worries melted away. He closed his eyes, imagining many moons ahead, he would be teaching his kits to fight and hunt. Snake may not be good at either, being so small. Baylor rebuked the idea, no cats had ever or will ever, with his blood coursing through their veins, be a poor fighter. _Just wait, she'll grow to be the best of the litter_ he thought confidently. Feeling her unproportional paws, much too large for her body, knead against his belly, he knew he was right. _All in due time_. His father's words rang through his mind, and he remembered back when he was a kit trying to fight. He would trip over his over sized paws, and he could recall his frustration. But his father was right, Baylor grew into them, all in due time.

Maple's breathing slowed down, and a steady rise of her chest accompanied it. Baylor closed his eyes, and he too lost himself in dreams if the future… his kits and Maple chasing each through the Moore, hunting expeditions, and make-shift battles.


	3. Beyound the Barn: Part One

**Characters:** (that appear in this chapter only)

BloodClan:

Baylor: Captain of the Guard; tom; white pelt with a gray spot on his neck, back, and flank, he has brown paws and ears. He also has one black spot overlapped by the gray one on his shoulder, his eyes are a bright green; massive and muscular

Reaper: Previous leader; tom; a black cat with white paws and tipped tail, he also has a white muzzle, his eyes are a dark brown; large and lean; dead

Snipe: Brother of Maple; tom; a dark brown coat with black tail and paws, has red ears and stripe going down from his forehead to the tip of his tail, bright blue eyes; massive

Rogues:

Maple: shecat; a deep mahogany pelt with golden swirls, a white chest, muzzle, paws, and tail with one red spot at the end of it. She has soft blue eyes; petite with long legs

Snake: shecat, daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long golden pelt with darker golden/mahogany swirls, a white chest, paws, underbelly, underside of tail and tip of tail. Also has bright green and lively eyes with silver woven into them and dark brown ears; petite with long legs

Ace: tom, son of Baylor and Maple; has a thick dark brown pelt that darkens into a black as it nears his belly and down his legs, his face is black with dark brown tabby markings strewn across it, has a single white paw and soft blue eyes; Massive like his father

Soot: shecat; daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long silvery smoke pelt with dark gray paws and tipped tail, has white tipped ears and muzzle and a dark gray spot on her shoulder like her father's, one eye is soft blue and the other a green; petite with long legs

Loner(s):

Nook: tom; light gray pelt with a white marking down his face and it moves down to cover his whole chest. He has white paws and bright, but kind, yellow eyes; A little taller than average, lean

 _ **I decided to split this chapter into two parts, since it turned out to be really long. Part Two will be posted soon, since I was almost done with the whole thing anyways. Enjoy!**_

The Rise of Snake: Chapter Three

"Wake up Snake, come on! Today Momma says we can go out if you open your eyes," Ace stood over her, nudging her with his paw. She groaned and rolled over onto her side, she was now almost a moon old. Ace and Soot opened their eyes eight sunrises ago, but hers refused to budge. Her eyelids stuck together, and had only loosened a little over time. If she tried hard, a small ray of sun could sneak through. It was so bright, and Snake wanted to open her eyes even more. Ace laid down beside her, his figure towering hers. She sighed and tried once more, it hurt but she knew if they didn't open soon her eyes could be damaged. She strained against the invisible seal that kept them shut, and they loosened a little. This motivated her to try again, Snake strained against them, her eyelids burning from the effort.

"They won't open!" she mewled, and Maple, hearing her kit's distress, padded over.

"What won't open?" She looked down at her kit, Ace beside her. Snake hissed in frustration.

"My eyes, I keep trying but they won't!" She dug her claws into the wood, softened from time. Maple kneeled down, facing Snake, and she began to groom her eyelids in attempt to loosen them. Snake grunted, and tried once more. She felt the strain give in, and her eyelids broke apart. Light flooded in, and she quickly shut them again. Ace looked over to her, understandingly. At first, the light hurt since he wasn't quite used to it.

"Snake, look at me." Ace nudged her with his muzzle, getting her to turn her head towards him. Soot, hearing all the commotion, woke up from her nap and padded towards her family snuggling up to her mother. Snake opened her eyes once more, and focused on the center of his face since it blocked out some of the light. It took a minute, but soon she could vaguely see the structure of it. Her eyes focused a different kind of sensation, not quite pain… but something odd, pierced them. Ace's face came into full view, and she widened her eyes in shock. She swiveled her head, and took in Maple and Soot's features.

"You did it!" Soot jumped up, tail high in the air from excitement. She sat up, and took in her surroundings. The world was so strange, and different from the darkness she was used to. Snake took in her sister's appearance; _she's beautiful_ , she realized. _Those eyes, are mine like that?_ Soot had astonishing and rare eyes, one a striking green like her father's, and the other a soft blue like her mother's. Ace stood up, and flicked his fluffy tail over her face playfully. He pranced over to the ladder and jumped down it, Soot trailing after him, pads hitting the ground lightly.

"Come on, you can do it." Maple nudged her kit forward with her forepaw encouragingly, pushing Snake towards the ladder. She bounded towards it filled with the urge ti explore, and looked down. Anxiety began to prick at her pelt, it wasn't that far down but she had never left the loft before. The ground seemed to dance and swirl in front of her, and it left a dizzy sensation. Maple waited patiently behind her, and her siblings tackled each other near the barn entrance in make-shift battle. Snake took a shaky step down onto the first plank of many. She took a deep reassuring breath, and hopped down the planks, occasionally losing her balance. Two steps before the ground, she leapt down eager to get off. Maple masterfully glided down, landing gracefully beside Snake. _One day I'll be that good_ , she decided.

"Let's go kits, stay close to me. As soon as you misbehave were going back inside." She flicked her tail and padded out the barn. Soot trailed after her, like always. Snake stood at the entrance, eyes wide. The moor was so vast and strange, how will she ever find her way through?

"Look at it, the world's so big. Isn't it exciting?" Ace tumbled into her, energy pulsating from him. Snake glanced at him, not quite sure whether it was or not. He lashed his tail, and he could pick up her fear. He gave her a reassuring shove with his shoulder, and Snake licked it gratefully.

Maple looked back, noticing that only Soot was with her. "Snake, Ace; come over here!" Ace bounded off eagerly, he couldn't wait to explore. Snake groomed her chest nervously, and trotted off unsteadily, since she only had just opened her eyes, not wanting to be left behind.

"Wait!" she squeaked, and she lengthened her strides in attempt to catch up. Snake could scent her family up ahead; if only she could get to them she'd be safe. Her lungs began to burn, and her soft pads became sore. "Ace, Soot, Mamma?" She called out, hoping they'd come back for her. She kept at a steady pace, until a fallen tree blocked her path. Startled, she tripped and skidded into the tree.

A sharp pain rang up her hind leg and she yowled. She laid her head down, too afraid to move. _They'll find me, I just need to stay here_. Snake stretched out, and shifted to where she wasn't putting any weight on her leg. She began to feel heat rise on her left hind leg near the tendon. She whimpered, and buried her face into her forepaws miserably. She could no longer catch the scent of her family, and fear struck her mind. What if she was never found and died by this tree? What if something else found her first? Thoughts raced through her mind, of all the terrible fates she could meet. Snake let out a drawn out wail."Momma," she called out into the moor. There was no answer; but they must've noticed by now that she has disappeared.

Early noon drew out to late evening, and Snake was still huddled against the tree. Her stomach ached for mother's milk, and she longed for her family's comforting presence. How she yearned for her brother, he was always there for her, even when Maple wasn't. Soot made her laugh, and how she needed it now. _Where are they?_ Snake lifted her head and looked around once more before letting out a shaky sigh. No one was going to find her here, she'd have to try and head back to the barn. Snake lifted her chest off the crushed grass with her forepaws, and slowly lifted the rest of herself up with her right hind leg. Cautiously, Snake put pressure on her left hind leg. As soon as she set it on the ground a jolt of pain shot up her leg and she winced, letting out a pitiful mewl.

With no other option, she set off away from the tree hobbling on three legs. Snake tried to follow any dented stalks of grass that she pushed past while running, but since she was so small she didn't really have all that much of an impact on them. She felt like she was going around in circles, and with the sun setting she began to lose hope. Soon, the moon replaced the sun, accompanied with bright stars. Snake made her way to the edge of the woods, and she settled near a bush to rest. Her stomach twisted in agonizing cramps from lack of food, and Snake felt as if she had no energy left in her. Looking up, she pondered at the stars. _Where will I go when I die?_ The nagging question kept repeating itself inside her head like a mocking bird stuck with the same tune it had first heard. The stars seemed to reach down and comfort her, with their stretches of starlight. For some reason, they seemed to have some purpose, or meaning to them. To worn to worry about the stars, she rested her head and drifted off into a troubled and fitful sleep.

"Kit, wake up. Kit, hurry… now!" Snake felt her body move due to some unknown force. Drained from her eventful day, she didn't bother with it. "Kit, we need to leave now… before they find us." A gruff yet gentle voice urgently whispered. Snake ignored it, and felt herself be pulled into a deep sleep. She didn't refuse it, and Snake felt teeth clamp around her nape and the ground below her disappeared. Instinctively, her body and tail curled up but she remained in her trance. Wind blew around her, ruffling her pelt and stripping it of all its warmth. Snake gave in, and everything disappeared leaving her in complete darkness once more.

A Robin chirped its sing-song tune, signaling morning had come. The moon was slowly giving into the sun, which was raising itself ever so cautiously into the sky. Snake opened her jowls in a wide yawn, and cracked her eyes open, breaking apart the crust that had formed on them. She was greeted by the ache of her stomach, and dull pain of her leg. She tried to sit up, but some contraption held her injured leg in place so that she couldn't move it. It was restricted by two bindweed strips held together with cobwebs and moss. She could smell some weird poultice underneath the make-shift cast. It was a herd called comfrey, but she didn't anything about herbs and medicine. Looking around, she saw that she was in some sort of hole, with light streaming in from the entrance. "Hello?" she weakly mewed. Confused, Snake mewed louder, trying to catch the attention of anyone. Where was her family?

Moment later, a neatly groomed gray tom padded in with bright and kind yellow eyes. In his mouth, he carried moss drenched in water. He lightly walked over to her and laid the moss down at her paws.  
Wh-who are you?" she stuttered, struggling to find her words. She looked up at the tom, larger than any other cat she had met. Suddenly, she felt smaller than ever. He crouched down in front of her, as if he tried to seem less intimidating… which didn't work. His pelt was short and sleek, and there was a stub where his tail should've been.

"They call me Nook, what about you little kit?" He blinked, his gaze holding a warm glow in them. His ear twitched, and she saw that there was a large nick at the tip of it. Snake flattened her ears, _how dare he call me little!_

"Momma and Daddy say I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," she hissed, her pelt fluffed up in attempt to make herself seem bigger. This earned a small chuckle from Nook. She narrowed her eyes, not finding the humor in the situation.

"Well if I don't know, I can't help you then can I?" He mewed calmly to her, and she blinked back at him, unsure of what to say. _Will he really help me? Momma always tells us not to trust anyone._ Snake flicked her ear, mimicking Nook, pretending she was a ferocious wild cat.

"I don't _you're_ need help. I can find my way home just fine." Snake promptly mewed. Nook shrugged and shuffled over, clearing a path to the entrance.

"Ok little kit, there you go. Safe travels." Snake cleared her throat, hesitating before she stood up on three legs. She looked towards Nook, secretly hoping he'd stop her. When he didn't, with a flick of her tail she hobbled past him awkwardly. Nook waited patiently as she limped by, flicking his ear continuously. At the entrance, she stopped and turned back towards him, her tail hanging in defeat.

"Fine. I'm Snake and I have a brother, and a sister… I live in a barn somewhere in that moor. I also have no idea where I am and how I'm going to get home," She huffed out, _maybe he'll know where that is_. With some hope she looked up at him, holding his gaze for the first time. She broke into small sobs, she missed her family and her hunger consistently gnawed at her. Nook nudged the moss towards her, and she sniffled, before testing its scent. Snake lapped at it, and the water ran down her throat soothing the scratchiness that dwelled there. It also subdued the hunger. She greedily began to lap it up, until the moss was dry. Nook grinned slightly.

"I think I know where that barn is. Tomorrow we can look for it, after your leg has had a chance to heal. You pulled you tendon kit, nothing serious but it hurts like foxdung." Nook mewed. _Foxdung?_ Snake wondered… she'd never heard that word before. This tom was strange, but at the thought of going home she perked up.

"Ok! Ace and Soot probably miss me, momma too." She thought back to the morning before, Ace had been so concerned for her… what did he feel like now?

"Get some rest, it'll help your leg heal faster and you'll be more refreshed for tomorrow's journey." He curled up into a tight ball, his eyes shut. Snake watched him for a moment, before limping over to where he was. She laid down beside him, her leg awkwardly stretched out from the brace. Resting her head between her paws, it suddenly hit her how tired she was. Soon, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Maple sat at the barn doors, anxiously looking out into the moor. Ace and Soot sat beside her. "Momma, where's Snake?" Soot looked up, eyes wide and moist. Maple flicked her ear, indicating that she heard her. A moment later, she turned her head down towards her.

"I don't know Soot… don't worry darling, she'll be back soon." Ace Stood up, and took a small step towards the vast field of grass. His ears stretched towards it, straining to hear her high-pitched voice. He lifted his muzzle up, tasting the air. He couldn't find her scent. He took another step out, before Maple jumped up and blocked his path.

"Stay here, I'm going to get your father. I'll be back soon, I'm serious… don't leave this barn." Maple looked firmly down at her kits.

"I want to go look for Snake!" Ace fluffed up his tail in protest.He couldn't stop thinking about how alone and frightened she must be. He needed to go find her, before she got hurt. Soot looked up at her mother, waiting for her response.

"No, you must stay here. I'll be back shortly and we can go look for her. I can't lose you too." Ace's tail drooped, and he solemnly nodded. Soot nudged him, and padded towards the loft. She paused at the ladder, and waited for him to join her. Reluctantly, he turned around and followed her up the ladder. His paws felt heavy, every step was a struggle. Once her kits were safely up on the loft, she took one last look at them before dashing out the barn towards the city.

She kept her strides steady as she expertly glided through the moor. When she neared the woods, to where she could see its outline, she began to slow down. Reaper dictated her thoughts, and she struggled to push them away. Maple slowed to a trot, as she padded through the woods. She ducked under a few fallen branches and leapt over some rotten logs. Ferns grazed her legs, brushing the dew off of the leaves and onto her pelt. She paused for a moment, when she reached the oak that she and Baylor used to meet up at. She could feel the trill rise in her chest, but she pushed herself on. Soon enough, she could scent the city ahead. It smelled of carrion, oil, and smoke. The stench burned her nose, and she sneezed. Maple slowly padded to the edge of the woods, and looked out to the streets. She had originally hoped Baylor would be patrolling this border, even though she knew it was unlikely.

Despite her hopes, he wasn't on this border patrol. Maple tasted the air, testing it for BloodClan cats. She slid out of the foliage, and swiftly ran across the streets, the familiar feel of pavement scraping at her pads. Maple silently trotted around the building, staying in the shadows as much as possible. With her senses on high alert, and muscles tense ready to bolt or fight, Maple stepped out into the streets. She needed to get to the Guard's training camp, where he'll most likely be. Without any hesitation, she dashed down the dark streets, the scent of BloodClan cats overwhelming her. Maple neared Reaper's old den, and she fought back the urge to turn around and flee. Flashes of memories ambushed her mind. She saw Snipe, ushering her into a bush. It began to rain, soaking her pelt. The sound of her paws pounding the pavement echoed through her ears. She could feel his rough and urgent lick on her forehead. _"I'll be back soon, Maple. Stay here until Baylor comes to get you." He left her cowering behind the branches as he turned around and leapt out of the bushes to meet Reaper head on. Maple peered through the leaves, watching anxiously."Traitor!" Reaper's distinct caterwaul sounded, and he leapt at her brother with his reinforced claws outstretched. Snipe yowled in agony, and she could almost feel Reaper's claws tearing through her pelt. "Leave Maple alone you fox-hearted filth!" Snipe hissed out defiantly, choking on the blood from a deep gash in his throat. Maple buried her head between her paws, wrapping her tail around her petite body. "You'll pay for your treason Snipe. No one defies me and gets away with it!" Reaper lunged at him, raking his claws across Snipe's face. Snipe hissed, and rammed into Reaper's belly with his head, barreling him into the pavement. Reaper flailed his paws, trying to get a grip on the pavement. Before he could, Snipe leapt upon him, tearing at his pelt with his bare claws. Reaper howled in fury, unable to relieve himself of the unrelinquishing claws and teeth of Snipe. Fallen, eyes bright with hunger, ran over and dug his reinforced claws into Snipe's shoulder pulling him off. Snipe tumbled to the ground from the unexpected force and the two cats sprung upon him. BloodClan cats from all ranks, had gathered along the sidewalk and allies, raving. Baylor bursts through the leaves, and Maple instinctively lashed out her claws, failing to do any harm. He pressed his muzzle to hers, "come with me, quick." Maple nodded, and followed him out of the brush. Snipe, Fallen, and Reaper's caterwauls rang out behind her, and she pushed forward petrified and eager to escape the horror scene that played out behind her. Baylor escorted her down the road that led to the woods, she took the lead knowing being familiar with the escape route. She caught the eye of Rambo, who joined in the 'chase' to supposedly capture her._

Maple yowled in surprise when a heavy force rammed into her pushing her into an ally, pinning her beneath its massive paw. She looked up, breathing heavily. "Maple, what are you doing here!?" Baylor questioned her, concern and disquiet evident in his mew. Maple relaxed beneath his weight, breathing in his comforting scent. Baylor stepped off of her, his fur spiked up.

"Oh thank bones it's you, Baylor… Snake is missing, I need your help. Hurry, before Ace and Soot miss me." She stood up, and shook her pelt causing water to fly off. She panted, the images still dancing in her head. She shook it, trying to put them aside so that she could focus on the task at hand.

"Wait, Snake is missing?" He took a step towards his mate, disquietude laced in his voice. She nodded, tears threatening to pour over the edges of her eyes. He linked his tail with hers, "don't worry, we'll find her. But we must leave now, meet me by the oak. I'll be there soon." Maple flattened her ears, and she grew distant once more, a gruesome scene laid out in front of her that only she could see. Baylor pressed his muzzle to hers, drawing her back from it, and to the present. "You'll be ok; there are no patrols there yet. If you leave now, you'll have plenty of time before one shows up. I wouldn't have you go if you wouldn't be safe." She nodded slowly, and pulled herself from his safe presence. Maple looked back, longingly, before she raced off.


	4. Beyound the Barn: Part Two

**Characters:** (that appear in this chapter only)

BloodClan:

Baylor: Captain of the Guard; tom; white pelt with a gray spot on his neck, back, and flank, he has brown paws and ears. He also has one black spot overlapped by the gray one on his shoulder, his eyes are a bright green; massive and muscular

Rogues:

Maple: shecat; a deep mahogany pelt with golden swirls, a white chest, muzzle, paws, and tail with one red spot at the end of it. She has soft blue eyes; petite with long legs

Snake: shecat, daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long golden pelt with darker golden/mahogany swirls, a white chest, paws, underbelly, underside of tail and tip of tail. Also has bright green and lively eyes with silver woven into them and dark brown ears; petite with long legs

Ace: tom, son of Baylor and Maple; has a thick dark brown pelt that darkens into a black as it nears his belly and down his legs, his face is black with dark brown tabby markings strewn across it, has a single white paw and soft blue eyes; Massive like his father

Soot: shecat; daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long silvery smoke pelt with dark gray paws and tipped tail, has white tipped ears and muzzle and a dark gray spot on her shoulder like her father's, one eye is soft blue and the other a green; petite with long legs

Loner(s):

Nook: tom; light gray pelt with a white marking down his face and it moves down to cover his whole chest. He has white paws and bright, but kind, yellow eyes; A little taller than average, lean

The Rise of Snake: Chapter Three Part Two

Maple sat beneath the outstretched branches of the oak tree, and when she heard a twig snap she stood up. Baylor appeared out from the darkness, the sun striking his glorious pelt. He ran to her, obviously recalling the times they used to meet here. He pressed his muzzle to hers, until she was trilling loudly. "Let's go find our kit," he murmured. Maple smiled, and together they ran out of the woods and into the moor. He slowed his strides, so she could keep up, and they matched step for step. The barn came into view, and Ace was sitting impatiently at the doors.

"Dad!" he leapt up onto his paws, tail high. Soot squealed and shot out of the barn to meet her parents, Ace trailing behind her. In a few strides he leapt onto Baylor with a mock battle cry, and he fell to the ground chuckling with his son pumbling his belly. Soot touched noses with Maple, purring loudly before turning and running to join in with her brother. Maple stayed were she was as she watched her family affectionately, when a small pang of sadness struck her heart when she didn't see her third kit. Worry pricked at her paws.

"Baylor, we need to find Snake." Her mate ceased playing with his kits and cleared his throat, and nudged them off with his forepaw. He sat up, a trace of a smile on his lips, concern laced in his eyes.

"You stay here with the kits; I'll go and look for her. I'll try to come back by tonight." He walked over o her and nuzzled her softly, Ace hacking in the background. Maple smiled at him gratefully, and she escorted the kits back into the barn. He watched them disappear, love swelling in his chest. He turned and looked out into the moor.

 _Ok, where to start._ He parted his mandible, testing the air for her scent. He caught a very faint trace of it, on a dented stalk. Baylor pushed aside some grass with his forepaw, carefully searching for another trace of her. He found it in yet another dented stalk, her scent vaguely on it. The trail seemed to lead north. Painfully slow, so not to miss leads, he stalked through the moor. The sun beamed down onto his massive shoulders, resulting in his white pelt to offset a soft glow. Her scent remained elusive, but the dented stalks and occasional scuff in the dirt kept him on track. Hours passed, and Baylor's patience hadn't wavered. He kept recalling his tracking lesson from many seasons ago. Patience was the utmost important key, however long it took he must keep a level head. Impatient cats often missed vital details. He followed her trail, until he reached the fallen tree. Her scent was stronger here; he looked up at the sky noticing that the sun was setting. Baylor rested beside it; _I'll continue looking first thing tomorrow. She's a strong kit, appearances are deceiving,_ he decided while curling up against the rough bark, underneath a branch providing some coverage. The ground was damp, from moisture that collected. It felt good against his thick pelt, and he let sleep take over.

Snake's chest rose and fell rhythmically, still deep in her slumber. Nook raised his head, had awoken from troublesome dreams. "Filthy BloodClan scum, you won't get this one." He murmured under his breath, looking down at the kit sleeping beside him. The other night was a close call; the cats that went by 'Havoc and Fox' were out scouting on the new leader's orders. They would've found her if he hadn't stumbled across her first, in attempt to get away from them, she would've been recruited. _She may have spunk, but she's also tiny… If they got her she wouldn't have made it a moon in that hell-bound clan._ Nook stood up, careful not to disturb her. He crawled to the back of his den, near the herb store. His mother, a descendent of the old Clans, had shown him the use of herbs. Now out of habit, he collects them. Nook nosed through the various leaves, flowers, nuts, barks, and stems until he found some more comfrey root. He gathered it in his mouth, and crawled back over to Snake.

Carefully, he unwrapped the cobweb and moss from her leg, exposing the swollen tendon. It looked a lot better, so he knew the herbs were doing their job. He lapped off the old poultice, and he felt her shift slightly. Nook chewed up the new comfrey root, and applied it very carefully, on her leg before binding it back with the bind weed, cobwebs, and moss as securely as he could. _She should be able to travel tomorrow… she has to be able to travel tomorrow… without her mother's milk she'll starve._ Nook grabbed the moss and left the den, so that he could soak it in the stream. She would be thirsty when she woke up.

Upon returning, he left the moss by Snake. Nook then went out and sat outside of the den, gazing up at the stars. He could feel the comforting presence of his old friends and ancestors. "Feathermist… it's been a while," he spoke up to the pool of stars, "you haven't visited me in my dreams lately. I need you now more than ever, Felicity is planning an uprising against BloodClan. They get more viscous every season… She's no better, really. I miss you, I should've been there…" his voice cracked, and a gust of wind blew towards him. Her scent embraced him, and he knew she was still with him. He closed his eyes, and imagined Feathermist standing before him. Her beautiful silver pelt flowing from the wind, she would bicker playfully about how boring it was here. He knew she loved it. A tiny voice broke his thoughts.

"Nook, who are you talking to?" He turned her head to see Snake. He directed her to sit beside him with his muzzle. She limped over to him, choosing a thick mossy area to rest on. "Who's Feathermist?" She looked up at him with eyes filled with curiosity. He smiled.

"Have you heard of the clans that used to live here… or StarClan for that matter?" Nook flicked his damaged ear. Snake shook her head, she was clueless. He chuckled slightly, expecting no less. "A long time ago, there were five clans, Thunder, Shadow, Wind, River, and SkyClan. Twolegs tore up their territory for their dens and SkyClan had to leave." Snake spoke up, interrupting his story.

"What are Twolegs? And Clans?" She was intrigued by his story, and she wanted to know more about the 'twolegs' and 'clans'.

"Well, twolegs are large and clumsy things with two legs, hence the name, instead of four. They are very smart and clever, since they control monsters to do their dirty work for them. I guess they aren't all too bad since some cats actually prefer to live with them," Nook explained. Snake stared up at him even more intently, so he continued. "They settled in a gorge far from here. After that, there were only four clans. They lived here for many, many seasons. That is, until Twolegs greedily tore up more of the clan's territories for their petty dens. So, the clans had to leave this place in search of a new territory. I'm not quite sure what became of them. In a clan, there was a leader, a deputy which is someone who is second in line to be leader, a medicine cat who heals everyone's wounds and cures their diseases, warriors, elders, queens and their kits. Each and every one of them looked out for each other, for the most part anyways." He flicked his ear.

"Ok… What's StarClan then? Is that another clan?" She leaned towards him, eager to learn more. He cleared his throat, and wiped his paw over his face before continuing.

"Sort of, it's sometimes referred to as the fifth clan, sixth originally. StarClan is where all the dead cats go, once their time on earth is up and they've served their clan."

"If you're talking to them, then they must still be here. Why didn't they go with the other clans?"

"Most of them left with the clans, but some stayed behind to guide their kin who couldn't make the journey or who were caught by twolegs. My mother's mother was one of them, held back by twolegs. She was a medicine cat, and her knowledge was passed down to me."

"Is Feathermist in StarClan?" She questioned, he looked up into the sky almost like he was searching for her.

"Yes." He forced the word out.

"Who was she?" Snake laid down into the moss, and groomed her paw before running it over her ear, again mimicking Nook.

"She was my mate. Her father was a warrior in the clans. He was a young warrior, and she was the last litter he ever produced. She was given a warrior's name, in honor of her warrior blood."

"What is a warrior name?"

"A warrior name is something like Ottercreek, Frostpelt, Sorreltail, it needs to represent something about them. It also must have two parts."

"Why don't you have one?"

"I did." He recalled back when he was almost twelve moons old. His mother was sick from a tumor, and she gave him his name, knowing she wouldn't last until the proper time. Larkshade.

"What was it?" She spoke softly now, picking up his sadness.

"Larkshade… Feathermist loved my warrior name, but after she died I changed it to Nook. Nook it will stay until I see her again," He bluntly mewed.

"Why did you change it?"

"I don't know, why must you ask so many questions?!" He turned and snapped at her. She cowered back, tears forming in her eyes. Instantly, he felt guilt rise up inside him. He hung his head, and sighed.

"I'm sorry Snake… I didn't mean to. It's… It's just hard to talk about." He closed his eyes, locked in a devastating turmoil. He felt her lean against his leg; Nook opened his eyes and looked over to her.

"It's ok, Momma does that sometimes too." He felt the ends of his muzzle turn up in a small smile; this kit has been the first thing in many moons that has made him smile. _Ah, she reminds me of her so much_.

"Come on, go back to sleep. It'll be dawn soon, and you need all the rest you can get you know. It's a long walk from here to your barn."

"But I want to stay up and talk with you." Snake mewled, she loved hearing his stories. "Tell me more stories about the clans!" A laugh escaped his throat.

"Ok, just one more." A light shone in his eyes for the first time in three seasons.

Baylor opened his jowls in a wide yawn, before stretching out his forepaws. _Ok Snake, where have you gone too._ He picked up her trail, still somewhat fresh, and intently followed it. As it led him closer and closer to the forest he began to feel uneasiness in his paws. The freshest scent he detected of her, by a juniper berry bush, was two sunrises old. A tom's scent mixed in with it, he could also scent Havoc and Fox, though they didn't come by this exact bush. Indignation, and apprehension flared throughout his being. He could feel his large claws bury themselves into the dirt; _no one will ever harm my family and get away with it. He'd better not hurt her, or else I will make him regret ever being born into this wretched world._ The tom's scent was more pungent, and he followed it at a steady lope.

"Is it time to go Nook?" Snake hobbled around him in quirky steps, as he put together some herbs. "I want to go see my _kin_ ," she felt a small ting of pride, "but I also want to stay here with you." Snake didn't even notice the constant dull ache of her hunger anymore. Nook sat up with a few leaves and a flower in his mouth, he mumbled something inaudible through them, before laying them down in front of her.

"Eat these, they'll help you feel good." He saw the curiosity in her expression, and before she could ask he explained the herbs. "This one," he picked out an oval shaped leaf with serrated edges, "is burnet. It'll help give you strength. Same for this other one, Chamomile," he nudged a small white flower with a yellow center. "This last one is Lamb's ear which serves the same purpose," it was a soft and fuzzy green leaf. Snake ate the leaves, her face distorted from the bitter taste they gave.

"They're so gross." Nook nodded, and ate a few himself, before nudging her out of the den. The sun had made its way over the hills, and was giving off its warmth, drying up the morning's dew. He walked at a slow pace, so she would be able to keep up. He found it humorous, this tiny kit, limping beside him with her leg dragging the ground. It didn't seem to faze her at all.

They continued on like this for a bit, Nook telling stories of the clans. Snake especially liked the original clans, LionClan, TigerClan, and LeopardClan. She was precarious about the idea of cats nearly ten times Nook's size.

"Wait, so the clans descended from Lion, Tiger, and LeopardClan?" Nook nodded, his ear occasionally twitching. "Why were they so small then?"

"Well, I don't know exactly. Maybe it was the lack of food, or maybe it was so that they'd have enough territory since the twolegs took so much of it. There's no telling, you'll know when you enter StarClan."

"Why can't you ask them now?" Nook kept his gaze on the horizon, estimating how much time they'd have left before moonhigh.

"It doesn't work that way, StarClan gives guidance and warns us before bad things happen. They do not answer our questions, usually." Snake fell silent, taking in this new information.

"Have they told you anything bad was going to happen?"

"Hey, let's not talk about bad things. Tell me about your family." Nook swayed the conversation in hope to distract himself from the prophecies he received a moon before.

"Okay! Soot has the _most_ amazing eyes ever, they're different colors! Ace has mammas eyes, and I have my dad's. Oh! Ace is a really good fighter, he always wins battles with Soot, but she's smarter than him I think," she rambled on about her siblings. Nook tentatively listened, only stopping her when he noticed her tiring. They rested here and there so she could regain her strength. Near Sunhigh, they passed by a twoleg's territory and traveled onto a field. Nook guessed they were near the barn.

"Wait, hold on," he parted his jaw, muzzle high, _something's not right._ His ear twitched, as he strained his hearing. A swallow was chirping, and there was some distant yowling of a twoleg. Nook could feel the ground pulsing slightly, his eyes widened.

"What's wrong Nook?" Snake stood beside him, completely oblivious. A deep snarl reverberated through her. She stiffened, "Nook?"

"We need to go now!" He snatched her up by her nape and darted off, leaving her to dangle from his jaws. Her eyes were the only thing that portrayed her emotions, pooling with fear. A howl echoed through the lea. The ground beneath him quaked and the sound of thundering paws echoed through his head making his ear twitch madly. The wind stung his eyes making them tear up, blurring his vision. He blinked away the moisture, only to have them fill up once more. Behind him, he could sense the massive presence of a dog. Nook surged himself forward, determined to get Snake to safety.

The brute gained on him, and he could now hear it panting behind him. He glanced back, to see a massive and bulky dog with enormous jowls, and short floppy ears. Its tail was missing, leaving only a nub similar to his own. Its eyes were bright with hostility and esurience, its tongue lolling outside of its mouth. His jowls bounced along with his stride, flashing long and stained canines. Nook felt a cold pang of panic shoot up his spine and into his head. He surged forward as hard as he can, his own paws thudding against the sodden ground He could feel Snake tremble, unable to speak or move due to the paralysis that overcomes kits when carried by their nape. He was grateful that she didn't weigh much, since his jaw was already growing tired.

They dog let out a bark, sending chills up his spine. He could now feel it's hot breath on his back, and frantically looked around for a tree, or wall, in which he could escape onto. Nothing but barren rolling hills stretched out in front of him, the next tree being several fox lengths away… too far for him to reach it before the dog clamped its jaws onto his haunches. Nook turned left sharply, and he heard the dog slip trying to follow after him. He sprinted to a tree trunk, spotting a tiny hole made from a tangle of roots. He tossed Snake into it, no time to be gentle. He pivoted and charged at the dog lashing his claws at its nose. He felt them catch onto its leathery surface and the brute yelped in surprise. He ducked beneath the dog, as it skid over him. He then leaped up and bit down onto its Achilles tendon. The dog snarled as it tumbled to the ground in a whirling mass. Nook panted, struggling to catch his breath. Snake peered out from the roots, "Nook!" Concern rolled off of her in waves, she feared for his life.

He looked towards Snake, her eyes wide from fear. He could feel Feathermist's presence, and the dog pulled itself onto its paws. He noticed that the brute was favoring the leg he had bitten down on. The dog descended upon him, gnashing its teeth. Nook reared up and began swatting at its muzzle and eyes rhythmically. The dog backed away, shaking its head, scarlet beads flying onto the grass. Nook darted forward and leapt up onto its head, climbing onto its massive shoulders. He buried his claws into it's pelt, and raked them down tearing through the fur leaving deep gages. The dog howled in pain, and turned his head snapping his jowls at the cat. He twisted and turned in circles, until he crashed down and rolled onto his back. Nook yowled, its weight crushing him. The dog rolled off and onto his paws, yelping when he put pressure on his injured leg. Nook gasped for breath.

The dog hovered over the cat, slobber streaming from its mouth. Snake tried to climb out of the roots, but her brace was caught. Nook was still sprawled out, and the dog bore its teeth in a menacing snarl. _Fox-dung, stupid brace!_ She gnawed at the bindweed, until it broke. Snake yanked her leg free, wincing slightly and leaped out of the tangle of roots. She ran over to the tom, and jumped over him until she stood between him and the dog. She fluffed up her pelt and arched her back, sizing the dog up. _StarClan help me, this thing is huge!_ She growled, her small chest rumbling.

"No, Snake… g-get back!" Nook struggled to get up, but a wave of dizziness held him down. The dog surged forward, and Snake shut her eyes and hunched over waiting for its massive jaws to latch onto her. _I'm sorry, Nook… I'll say hi to Feathermist._ When nothing happened, she slowly opened her eyes. A blur of white fur was entangled in a ferocious battle with the dog. Together they rolled in the grass, blood staining the ground. Caterwauls, snarls, yelps, and yowls filled the air. Nook forced himself onto his paws, and pushed Snake between them protectively. He unsheathed his claws, preparing himself.

Moments later the white cat detached itself from the dog and skidded masterfully on the ground until it came to a full stop. The dog continued to roll on the ground, snapping its jaws in the air, searching for its assailant. He eventually found the ground and jumped up, he looked at the cat eyes aflame with hatred, and roared so that his throat and chest rumbled along with it. The cat snarled at the dog, and as it lunged at him, he jumped back only to turn and leap at the dog once more. The dog stumbled sideways when it felt the cat's reinforced claws dig into its ribs. It howled in agony when the claws scraped the bone. The cat released and ran under the dog's belly, slashing at its abdomen. The dog barked defeated, before bolting back up the hills towards his housefolk. The cat lashed his tail, and shook his pelt now stained red.

His eyes lit up when he saw Snake, and he ran over to her. "There you are, your mother and I have been worried sick for you." He noticed Nook, and snarled. "Who are you, get away from her!" Baylor slammed his paw into Nook's head sending him flying to the ground. He stepped in front of Snake, shielding her.

"No don't hurt him! That's my friend," she mewled. Snake ran between his paws over to Nook, her tail twitching with concern. "Nook, are you ok?"

Nook leapt to his paws in a matter a moments, ignoring the wave of dizziness that crashed onto him. "Stay away from her BloodClan filth, you won't take her away too." He bore his fangs, rage swept through him. Baylor hissed at him, _how dare he tell me to stay away!_ Baylor lurched at Nook, blinded by fury. Nook side stepped Baylor and clawed his shoulder as he passed him leaving a set of claw marks deep in his pelt. He yowled, more from rage than pain despite the fact that he tore through an old wound.

"Stop!" Snake cried out in distress, Baylor, hearing his kit, paused to glance at her. Nook saw his opportunity and raked his claws down Baylor's chest. He fell back, gasping from pain. "No Nook, don't hurt my daddy!" Nook stepped back in shock, Baylor was hunched over, blood streaming down onto his paws. Snake ran over to him, burying her face into his pelt. She smelled his familiar scent, the only thing she knew him by a few sunrises ago.

"Snake, I didn't know." She looked up at him, her face wet from tears. Baylor lifted his head eyes; he gnashed his teeth warningly at the tom. Nook took a step forward, and crouched down paying attention only to Snake. "Let me make it up to you, I'll heal him… ok?" Snake nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"No, I don't need help from a _loner_ ," Baylor stood up, eyes narrowed at the tom.

"Daddy please, he's good at it. He made my leg better when it hurt." Snake blinked away her tears. He complied; he couldn't stand to see her hurt.

"Fine," he spat at Nook. Nook shrugged it off not giving a mouse tail about him.

"I think I saw some marigold and horsetail around here… We're going to need catchweed." He smiled when Snake bounded over to him.

"I can help! Tell me what to look for and I'll go and find it!"

"Marigold is the most important thing I need. It grows near the ground, and it has yellow or orange petals." She nodded and eagerly bounded off.

"Don't go too far Snake!" Baylor called out after her. He directed his attention to Nook. "So, where'd you find her and what was wrong with her leg?" he demanded.

"She was strewn out by a tree that was struck down, she pulled her tendon. _I_ took care of it." Nook distanced himself from the tom. "I'm going to look for some catchweed, stay here." He began to walk away, not giving Baylor a chance to answer.

"Not like I have a choice," he retorted loudly. Near noon, Snake came back with a mouthful of marigold. Nook had managed to find some catchweed near the brush at the edge of the lea. She was eager to help, and he showed her how to chew up a poultice and apply it to a wound.

Baylor winced when the marigold was smeared on his chest, it stung. He watched his kit warmly, her eyes lit up when Nook praised her for her work. _Maybe he isn't too bad. He better watch it though._ "How do you feel?" Snake backed away from him, observing her work. The catchweed was neatly placed on, holding her poultice in place.

"Much better, thanks." Snake's tail stuck straight up in the air.

"You're a natural, but we must get going. You need to get to your mother, we can practice some more once you get some milk in you," Nook nudged her with his nose, directing her towards where he thought was the barn.

"I'll lead; I know where my family lives." Baylor brushed past Nook, sneering at the tom. Nook hissed quietly, just loud enough for Baylor to hear. Snake brushed her tail against his leg, beckoning him. He smiled softly, and padded after her.

"You can meet Ace, Soot, and mamma now!" She bounced with each stride, her tail fluffed up with excitement.

"No. He will speak with Maple and I, and then he will leave," Baylor mewed sternly.

"But dad, he needs to meet them! He needs to stay, he's my only friend. It gets so boring at the barn, please?!" Snake stopped walking. Baylor turned around, eyes set on Nook.

"I said no, that is my final answer." Nook flattened his ears.

"Look Baylor, your precious kit was hurt, lost, hungry, cold, and on the verge of being discovered by BloodClan scouts. If I hadn't found her and taken care of her, she would be in their claws, and I don't think you want that. Whether you like it or not, you owe me. You didn't make it in time to save her, but I did. If I was going to harm her, or your family, I would've done it long before now. So get over yourself." Nook snarled at the massive tom, his pelt spiked up. Snake crouched down, sensing the tension between the two.

"Please don't fight again, let's go home… Mamma will know what to do," Snake uttered. Baylor growled and turned around sharply muttering, he started back walking.

"Come on kit, let's go." Nook nudged her gently with his muzzle, encouraging her to follow her father. Snake forced a smile, feeling uneasy. She complied with Nook and padded off with her father, listening to Nook's footsteps behind her.

"Baylor! Snake, oh! My kit!" Maple darted out of the barn meeting them and showered her kit with affection. Snake giggled, Ace and Soot squealed with joy and leapt upon their mother and sister. Nook stayed behind them, ease filling his conscience. After a minute, Maple noticed him.

"Who's this?" She stood up, and shook her pelt dusting it off. Nook grew uneasy and shifted his weight. He opened his mouth to speak but he was overtaken by Snake.

"That's Nook, he saved me and helped me get well. He fought a dog, I did too! Then daddy came and scared it away! Nook taught me about the Clans, they're so cool!" Her eyes were bright with eagerness. Maple laughed some, and hushed her kit.

"Thank you for helping her, I was so worried. You're a loner aren't you?" She tilted her head curiously. Nook cleared his throat attempting to speak but Baylor intervened.

"Yes he is and I don't trust him," he spat out hostilely. Maple lashed her tail, displeased.

"Baylor he helped our kit, we should be grateful. Don't mind him Nook, there's a lot going on. Come inside out of the sun. There is a pool of water you can drink from." She smiled at him warmly. He dipped his head in thanks, and Snake nudged him inside. Ace and Soot trampled after them intrigued by the new cat. Baylor grudgingly followed, his tail lashing.

"Maple" Baylor called to his mate, his gruff voice hushed. She paused to look back, and catching the worried glaze in his eyes she sent him a warm smile, flicking her tail. He sighed and moved to watch the strange tom crouching down lapping up water while the kits bombarded him with questions.

"Did you really know the clans?" Ace mewled out, followed by Soot "What are the clans?" Snake puffed out her chest fur "I know about the clans!" she boasted. "Yeah only 'cuz Nook told you!" Soot huffed, jealous of her sister's adventures.

Maple Laughed "Be polite, our guests has traveled a great distance and I'm sure he's tired." She nudged her kits away, Baylor then ushered them to his side. "Nook I want to thank you for saving our kit. I don't think you understand the trouble and grief you have saved us," Baylor snorted, "even though my hard headed mate hasn't come to sense" she added quieter. Ace snickered to himself making Soot and Snake grin, Baylor swatted him with his tail.

"No thanks needed, I've greatly enjoyed her company." Nook sat up smiling politely. Baylor narrowed his eyes at the tom, Nook flashed him a grin. Baylor rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the kits, Ace was swatting Snake's ear and she nipped his paw making him wince and pull back.

"But still due," Maple added to Nook's comment, "Don't you think Baylor?"

"Whatever you say dear," he remarked. Maple sighed and winked at Nook before she stood up.

"Come on Baylor; follow me up to the loft." She padded past him to the ladder, flicking her tail over his nose playfully. Seeing that he had no choice, he flashed a glare to the other tom, and padded after the radiant shecat. Once upon the loft, he saw her sitting down, tail laid across her paws with her ears folded back slightly. "We owe him our kit's life and the best you could do was ' _whatever you say dear_ '?"

Realizing his mistake, he padded over smoothly and cooed "You know you're beautiful in this light." He went to nuzzle her but she turned her head away.

"Stop that I'm trying to be mad at you." She pinned her ears back further, and turned her back sharply. "Honestly Baylor, what reason has he given you to mistrust him so?"

"I don't know the tom, or what motivation he has." Baylor sat down in front of her, matching her posture.

"Everything he has done has been for Snake's sake, I worry for her Baylor… She's so small and fragile, the thought of her alone and hurt, with BloodClan cats nearby on the prowl for blood scares me. And when you left, I worried that you'd never come back. That I'd never see you or my kit again, but instead you show up with a stranger who has been so kind to our kit, giving her everything she needed. Whatever motivation he has, this world needs more of it." She choked this out, leaving Baylor moved by his mate's concern. He leaned down and groomed her forehead, sighing when she leaned against him.

"I am grateful for what he has done, but I still don't trust him. Knowing you, you're going to want him to stay for a while before he heads back. And since I have to return tomorrow before BloodClan sends out a patrol looking for me, I'll agree to him staying until then." Baylor rested his muzzle on her forehead.

"Thank you," she murmured. Snake's squeal rang out, resulting in Baylor's head to shoot up. "Maybe we should go back down, who knows what those kits are doing to the poor tom." Maple stood up, leaving Baylor to snicker to himself.

"And then TigerStar jumped at Scourge like this!" Snake leaped at Ace yowling out a battle cry. She tackled him to the ground, but Ace moved on top of her due to his size and pinned her beneath him. "Hey, you were supposed to fall! Now you ruined the story." She scowled, Nook laughed, clearly amused.

"That's enough kits, your father has something to tell you." She flashed him a playful grin as she nudged Baylor towards them. He trotted over leaning down with excited eyes.

"Nook here will be staying with us tonight, and tomorrow as I head back I will show him a good spot to make a den so that he may visit." Snake squealed with joy and jumped at her father nuzzling him.

"Thanks daddy!" Before he could say anything she whipped around, pelt shaking with joy, to Nook. "Did yah here that?! You get to stay with me Nook!"

"Yes I did, isn't it exciting? I can tell you about when the clans moved from their forest to the lake later then." He purred.

"Tell us too Nook!" Soot jumped up, her tail straight, followed by Ace. Snake fluffed up her pelt and turned around to face her sister.

"But you haven't heard the other stories yet, so you won't know why they are moving." Soot shrugged the comment off.

"That's ok Snake, you can tell them why." Nook winked at the kit, her eyes brightened at her friend.

"Ok!" She sat down, "well it all started when…"


	5. BloodClan Roots

The Rise of Snake: Chapter Four

 **Characters:**

BloodClan:

Fallen: Leader of BloodClan; tom; an orange cat with black ears, tail and brown tabby stripes, he has a single white paw and green eyes; lanky but muscular

Lost: Deputy of BloodClan; shecat; blue/gray pelt with silver eyes, has only half her tail; small (resembles a main coon)

Leader's Advisors: (They give out advise to the leader and help with the trainers on assessing and placing a new cat)

Diesel: tom; tortoishell of brown, hazel, and white with brown eyes; average but built

Broken: tom; pale yellow and white tabby with a broken tail tip from a battle long ago, has blue eyes; large

The Guards of BloodClan:

Cathair: Advisor of the guard; tom; dark brown pelt with gray paws and spots along his back and tail, his chest and underbelly are white and he has bright green eyes; massive, but hunched over

Baylor: Captain of the Guard and son of Cathair; tom; white pelt with a gray spot on his neck, back, and flank, he has brown paws and ears. He also has one black spot overlapped by the gray one on his shoulder, his eyes are a bright green; massive and muscular

Hail: trainer; tom; Brown with black spots and silver flecks; large

Sleet: trainer; shecat; silver tabby with one black paw and gray eyes; petite

Fang: trainer; tom; a brick red with a white chest and brown eyes; lanky

Titan: trainer; tom; calico, has ice colored eyes; massive

Jasper: tom; Black and white tabby with turquoise eyes; bulky and decently sized

Jagged: tom; brother of Jasper; Gray and black tabby cat with a white streak that goes down his muzzle, has sky blue eyes; also bulky and decently sized

Owl: shecat; dark and light brown tabby, has a black line that stretches down her back; small

Rose: shecat; sister of Rose; a yellow shecat with a red hue and a white chest and paws, she has green eyes; petite

Fox: shecat; sister of Rose; orange pelt with a red hue, has white paws and a black tipped tail, also has deep green eyes; petite

Willow: shecat; light gray shecat with a dark gray face and back, fades out into a silver under belly and she has hazel eyes; large

Quake: tom; all black with yellow eyes; massive

Stitch: tom; gray with one black paw and crimson eyes, got his name after he was caught by the cutter and released neutered; large

Frostbite (Frost): tom; brother to Ghost and Smoke; silver body with white tipped paws and nose, has ice blue eyes; lanky

Smoke: shecat; sister to Frostbite and Ghost; smoke brindled with a pale gray, has a white chest and tipped ears, also has gray eyes; small

Ghost: tom; brother to Smoke and Frostbite; pure white with a silver tipped tail and ears, gray eyes with flecks of ice blue; large but lanky

Wander: tom; brown and black tabby with a white chest and has orange eyes; massive with lean build

Vic: tom; ginger and brown marbled, has a white muzzle and rings under his eyes; small

Wolf: shecat; Persian cat with a silver and brown pelt, has blue eyes; built but short

Shade: tom; red with a darker red belly and brown eyes; average

Nettle: shecat; sister to Havoc; Siamese, has blue eyes; petite but tall

Havoc: tom; Siamese, has blue eyes; massive

Titus: tom; long black pelt with a red-ish hue, has a white chest, paws, and tipped tail with pale green eyes, large and built (recruit)

Fade: shecat; tawny short coat with a dark brown mask on her face, legs, ears, and tail. Has a white chest with bright sea blue eyes; average and lean, has a longer tail than most (recruit)

BloodClan Cats:

Mags: shecat; a light brown tabby cat with a bobbed tail and strange purple eyes; average and lanky

Butler: tom; deep gray undercoat with a black overcoat (deep gray coat catches in the sun), and a single white paw and light yellow eyes; large and lanky with some build

Salem: tom; pitch black pet with a gray paw and red spot on his tail and back, has one red tipped ear, has bright green eyes; large and built; mate to Harper

Luke: tom; white with black ears and tipped tail, has bright green eyes, average

Murk: tom; shaggy gray coat with white paws, has light blue eyes; stocky

Harper: shecat; mahogany red with a white face and underbelly, has a black spot over her left eye and on her right forepaw, has tawny eyes; average; mate to Salem

Rogues:

Blue: tom; silver gray cat with dark gray rings around his eyes and a black patch on his face, has stunning blue eyes; large and lean

Thatcher: tom; dark brown pelt with a sandy brown chest and paws, has white stripes on his face with brown eyes; large and built

Macie: shecat; light golden pelt with a yellow underbelly and light brown ears and tipped tail, has light blue eyes; average and lean

Posy: shecat; white with cream ears and tail, had a black muzzle and bright green eyes; carrying kits; average and lean

Warning: There is some minor language in this chapter

"With all due respect Fallen, I am unsure of this. The city, brutal and harsh as it may be, has always been our home. I think it unwise to move our clan a quarter moon travel into unknown territory." Diesel, one of Fallen's advisors, tentatively explained. His leader lashed his tail, pelt bristled and eyes wide from excitement. Broken turned his gaze at Lost, the previous advisor before him, searching her thoughts; she sighed quietly before tearing away from him to focus on her paws.

"Diesel, I hear your concerns but we are sending out a patrol of scouts in two sunrises. You must remember what Blue said, that the prey was so common that you couldn't walk three fox lengths without a rabbit, bird, or mouse fleeing from the underbrush, and that there were no cutters, only the occasional twoleg and his dog." Fallen had stood up now, pacing between his deputy and advisors.

"Is it wise to believe the words of a passing rogue, especially with Felicity on the move; which we still haven't found out anything about her or her cause?" Broken spoke up, voicing his concerns. The whole idea made his fur itch.

Their leader stopped and turned to face the tom, anger laced in his tone, "which is why I am sending out two patrols, seven sunrises apart. I'll have Baylor choose three cats to join each one, and Cathair choose the others since he has more knowledge and connections outside of the guard." He had sat down, and inhaled the smoggy air calming himself, "I have made my choice, thank you for your council. Send for Baylor and Cathair Diesel. Dismissed." The two advisors dipped their head in respect, and padded out of the alley leaving Lost behind.

"What do you think about this? As deputy, your voice holds more meaning, though we both know it's always been that way too me." Fallen etched closer to her, almost touching his muzzle to hers, and she forced herself not to turn away.

"Fallen, you know very well how I feel about the territory. I believe only a foxbrain would try something as insane as this. But as my leader, I trust you." She forced a sly grin, before turning away whisking his face with the remainder of her tail playfully. Her long pelt hid the mangled end where some twoleg kits had cut it off when she was but a kit herself, keeping it from making her any less beautiful. Lost padded out of his den, turning towards the guard's camp swiftly, once out of sight she sped up to a lope, sighing in relief. Fallen's gaze followed her out, leaving him to his thoughts, only accompanied by the looming shadows that threatened to engulf him.

"Nettle, Vic, Jasper, and Owl you four will accompany me to scout the territory by the crumbled twoleg house. We need to find out more about this Felicity". Baylor stood over his guard, perched on the ledge his father and his father's father barked out the day's patrols and battles. His claws dug into the soil, pride flowing through him. BloodClan may be a corrupted and viscous clan but this, this was his haven. Owl's eyes lit up, since the battle on the hill she has been excluded from patrols due to an injury dealt on her flank leaving her unable to walk efficiently. Many moons had passed and it finally healed, at first Baylor was scared of losing one of his best cats but once again she proved him wrong. "Fox, Havoc, and Stitch you will patrol the north border while Sleet, Ghosts, and Titan you will take care of the east border at moonhigh. If you sense any threat do not engage, report back to camp for more troops. Dismissed." He turned away to walk back to his den, leaving his guard to return to their duties. A gust of wind blew his direction, bringing the scent of Diesel and Broken with it. Baylor turned towards the scent, and awaited their arrival.

Moments later two figures emerged from the shadows, murmuring something he couldn't make out. "State your business," he called out to them, raising his tail in greeting. Diesel and Broken padded up to him, both having to tilt their heads up to match his stare.

"We carry an important message from Fallen, he wishes for you and Cathair to report to him immediately." Diesel informed him, and then turned his gaze to the old dog house. "Is Cathair fit to travel?"

Baylor flattened his ears, "of course he is." He cleared his throat, and spoke in a controlled tone. Diesel dipped his head understandingly, and Broken flashed a sympathetic grin to his previous Co-Captain in which he fought for many seasons. Baylor returned the gesture, before turning back towards his den to fetch his father. "Cathair, Fallen requests our presence. We must heed his command; I suspect it's about the unknown territory." He recognized the familiar groan as he heard his father heave himself to his feet.

"Then let us go." He grunted while he passed his son, the sleep still in his eyes. Baylor pushed aside the concern he felt for the worn tom and he watched as the elder pushed past Diesel and Broken in the direction of Reaper's den. Baylor followed after him, and Diesel and Broken sped up to take the lead. As the toms walked through the streets and alleyways the cats of BloodClan, that had no official role but were loyal to Fallen, paused to watch them pass. Some watched in awe, others in fear, Baylor and Cathair had that effect. Diesel and Broken paused at the entrance, giving them room to pass. "Cathair, advisor to Captain of the Guard," his father spoke up, voice raspy with age.

"Baylor, Captain of the Guard," he declared once his father had finished. He strained his eyes, in attempt to spot his leader in the shadows.

"Enter; I have an important task for you two." Baylor took a deep breath, and padded in front of Cathair, his protective instinct taking hold. Cathair grunted, signaling his displeasure at being treated like a lost kit. However, he complied and hobbled after his son. Fallen stood on the dumpster that once Reaper commanded from, it was considered the proper place for the leader of BloodClan. "I'm sure you know of my plans to send out scouts to evaluate the territory shared with me by the rogue Blue," he paused for a moment, only continuing when Cathair nodded his head. "Cathair I'm leaving you in charge of choosing three cats for each of the patrols. They need to be savvy and swift. Baylor you will choose the other three, have them match up well in skill and knowledge to Cathair's cats. This will be the first patrol; I need you both to choose five cats together for a follow up patrol. I trust you will choose well. Those five, and one of the old patrol will remain if it is safe as the other five of the old patrol returns to report." He laid his tail over his reinforced claws, and if it wasn't for his color etched with dog teeth you'd almost think him docile. His mind seemed clear, and not choked with the fog he had been drowning in for the past few suns.

"Yes sir, we will not displease you," Baylor reassured his leader. He looked at his paws for a quick moment, fear prickling them as he thought of his family. "Sir, with all due respect do you think it wise to send cats out into unknown territory, especially with Felicity lurking near? I mean, wouldn't it be foolish to risk the lives of your cats?" Cathair turned his head to glare at his son, and Fallen's eyes turned cold in a flash, and he jolted up pelt bristled and claw unsheathed.  
"You do not question my orders, as Captain of _my_ Guard you execute them without question!" Fallen raised his forepaw up, claws flexed, ready to strike down at the tom. Baylor met his gaze, equally cold, with a hint of dare dancing in them. Fallen narrowed his eyes, and began to lower his paw. "I will let you go this time, but the next time you won't find yourself so lucky. Dismissed." Anger flared up in Baylor, _his guard my tail!_ Cathair dipped his head and shouldered him, encouraging his son to follow. He dipped his head as well, and stalked off out of the alley.

"You are a fool Baylor, sometimes I think you beg for your demise." Cathair mewed hotly at his son. Baylor grunted, his tail lashing against the ground. "What's been eating you? I've noticed a change for many moons, but I always concluded that it was because of your gained position. Now, I can see it is something else."

Baylor flattened his ears, and picked up his pace. Cathair kept up with the tom, eyes studying his son's face. "Son, I'm old. I've walked too many paths and seen too many things not to know when my own son is holding out on me." Baylor sighed, and slowed to brisk walk.

"You are not wrong father, to suspect me of holding out on you. But it is not something I wish to discuss, in time maybe... but not now." He looked back at his Cathair, and the aged tom avoided his gaze. Baylor could tell his mind was elsewhere, so he looked to the alley end, and the future of his mate and kits.

"Titus, control your blows, you fight like a crippled kit!" Titan slammed his paw against the new recruit's mandible, leaving him dizzy. Titus attempted to counter the attack by spinning around and bashing the trainer with his forepaw like he had seen Baylor teach Sleet. Titan easily blocked the attempt and barreled into the burly tom knocking him off his feet. "Do not attempt an attack you have not learned yet," the trainer pressed his paw onto this tom's head holding him down. "Try to get out of this."

Titus rolled his hind legs up and heaved them into Titan, its brute force shoving the trainer off of him. He swiftly leapt to his paws and swatted at his head, forcing the seasoned fighter back up against the sandy walls. Titan ducked his head to dodge the unrelinquishing claws and rammed it into Titus's abdomen. "Oof," the tom crumpled on top of the trainer, digging his claws into his shoulders to avoid crashing to the stiff dirt ground. If it wasn't for the massive tom's strength, Titan would've buckled under the weight of the brute. Instead, he reared up on his haunches with great effort and came crashing down onto Titus. He withered and hissed beneath his opponent, unable to free himself.

"Didn't think I was going to let you win did you kit?" Titan chuckled hoarsely, forcing the words between heavy breaths.

"Get off, you're bending my leg the wrong way!" Titus struggled beneath the tom, his leg shooting pains up his spine leaving him to bite his tongue to avoid crying out in agony. Titan chuckled again, and pulled himself up, freeing the cat. "I almost had you," he choked out, trying to hide the pain nagging at him.

"You underestimated your opponent, leaving your abdomen and flank vulnerable. It allowed me to gain advantage very easily. Although, I will however admit that you are improving." Titan licked his paw and swiped it above his eye, where a scratch oozed blood into his eye.

"Give me time yet, and I will be a cat not so easily defeated, even for Baylor." Titus stood up, his tail held high. Titan burst out in laughter, his deep voice echoing through the grounds.

"Keep thinking like that; see where it gets you in this place! Your training is finished for today, report back tomorrow at sunrise for your next lesson with the other recruits," he padded off, sides heaving with laughter. Titus sat down on his haunches, favoring his sore leg as he turned to groom the ruffled fur on it.

"Titus," A soft mew reached his ears from the shadows above the grounds. He jerked his head up, eyes scanning for the cat belonging to the voice. "Meet me by the creek at sunfall." A grin broke on his face.

"See you there, Lost." His eyes brightened with eagerness, and he jumped up to finish his duties for the day. Every Guard in training has to complete certain tasks, like retrieving food from the more dangerous bins (usually the ones guarded by dogs or on highways), moving concrete blocks or debris out of the way, or sometimes collecting bedding for the higher ranks.

The she cat looked down onto the training grounds, her eyes following the handsome to be guard, and a good one at that… _If he ever loses that ego of his_ , she laughed to herself. The sun caught her silver pelt, eliminating a soft blue hue to it.

The flash of color caught Quake's eye and he detached himself from a battle with Havoc, throwing him onto the ground next to him leaving the tom confused. "Lost, why do you lurk in the sha-" Havoc, true to his name, lunged at Quake catching him off guard, slamming him into the packed sand. "The hell Havoc!" Quake spit out some blood from his bitten tongue at the tom. Havoc grinned and brang his raised paw down to bash the tom's head but due to moons of intensive training the black tom threw Havoc off of him with an instinctive surge of his hind paws. The tom tumbled into the ground, and quickly rolled onto his feet. Quake hissed at Havoc, blood trickling down his chin.

Lost watched them with amusement. Havoc ran at Quake barreling him over into some sand bloodied and stained from other cats. The darker tom yowled in pain as he felt his shoulder wrench, desperate to relieve himself of the tan cat he hooked his claws into his pelt and forced Havoc to churn in the dirt with him until he gained position and threw the tom into the ditch below, where some twolegs never finished running pipes. Havoc yowled as he fell, twisting so that he could land on his feet. He landed with a thud, "Didn't expect that from you Quake, usually you're for more blood than defense."

Quake hissed at his old friend, half with good humor and the other with anger. "You wrenched my shoulder asshole." His pelt bristled when he heard Havoc snicker, "If a fight breaks out I'll be excluded!" Havoc pulled himself back on the grounds, eyes hungry for blood at the mention of battle. Lost snickered to herself then she backed into the foliage and padded off unnoticed by the guards.

"Never stopped you before, don't let the other guards know that your growing soft." Smoke walked up to them, her coat matted with blood and maimed with scratches from training with her brother Ghosts and a shecat Vic. The cocky shecat swayed her tail back and forth and flicked some blood of her talon like claws.

"Don't look now but scourge walks among us," Havoc muttered quietly to Quake, who acknowledged it with a flick of his ear.

"Better believe it too, oh Quake… If you're done mooning after that pathetic newcomer, Fade, I'll be with my kin taunting the dog." She flashed him a tempting smile.

"Leave the recruit out of this. Don't wait up for me," He meowed flatly. Quake sat down on his haunches, and stretched out his shoulder uninterestedly.

"A few moons ago you wouldn't hesitate to put a few marks into that dog's mangy pelt… or to be with me." She hissed at the tom, anger radiating from her bristled fur. Quake lifted his gaze at the shecat, he recalled previous times where he admired her fire and beauty and even considered becoming mates with her, but he knew better than to entwine tails with her. "I'm not going to waste my time on you Quake, you're blind. If you realize your mistake you know where to find me." Smoke flicked her tail over his muzzle, leaving him to wrinkle it, and stalked off briskly.

Havoc roared with laughter after she walked out of the camp, "Asshole," he murmured as he swiveled around and struck the tom in the jaw with his forepaw. Havoc continued to laugh at the burly tom, regardless of his aching jaw.

A dark blur pushed past the long blades of grass.

The wind whipped at his face, flattening his whiskers and ears. He tore through the moor, with no specific destination. Behind him, he could hear the soft but swift pads of his sisters. He branched right, turning sharply to throw them off. He heard the surprised gasp of Soot as she swiveled hard to follow, and he heard Snake skid and launch herself after him. He lengthened his stride, picking up speed. Soot's sets of paws fell behind, and Snake's followed ever so persistently. He then pivoted and braced himself to meet her head on. She didn't bother to slow herself down, and barreled into him. They both tumbled into the ground in a whirl of fur and dust. Soot pumbled her brother's stomach and he threw her off with ease and she disappeared behind stalks of grass. He meowed with laughter, until Snake hurled herself at him, hooking her forepaws on his shoulders as she twisted over his body pulling him down with her. She barely managed to roll out from under him before he collapsed onto her small frame. Soot bursts through the stalks ready to rejoin the fight. She leaped onto Ace batting at his eyes, Snake jumped up and placed her paw on his throat while Soot distracted him.

"Shecats win!" Snake yowled into the Moore victoriously, followed by Soot. Ace stood up, making Soot lose her balance and tumbled in the dirt. She sat up, a scowl on her face. She had just cleaned her coat, and now she'd have to start over again.

"Only 'cuz I let you win!" Ace raised his tail, in attempt to disguise his shame of being defeated by two she cats.

"Kits! Get back here, you were supposed to stay with me! Don't make me regret this outing." Maple called out to them, obviously annoyed by her kits wandering off. Despite them being 5 moons old now, she still acknowledged the ever present danger of BloodClan.

"Relax Maple; they hardly ever get to get out of that stuffy barn. Kits will be kits." Nook soothed the anxious shecat ahead of him. She lashed her tail, still filled with worry.

Snake perked her ears up, "Ace, Soot… We better hurry back to mamma. She sounds mad." Ace flashed his sister a taunting grin.

"Bet I can beat you there!" He pelted off towards the sound of his mother's voice, Soot closely after him, leaving Snake to race after the two, as always.

"There you are, don't leave my side again. I agreed to take you guys to the creek today if you behaved." Maple meowed sternly to her three kits as they bursted through the grass and skidded to a stop beside her.

"We won't mamma, we'll be good," Soot flattened he ears, worried that she might have to go back home.

"Yeah mamma, don't worry!" Snake spoke up with her sister, Ace nodded. Maple, satisfied, took the lead and continued towards the creek, which flowed down from BloodClan a good quarter suns trip. Nook took his place by Snake, the shecat had grown to about a third his size, but was still small. She flashed him an eager smile, eyes bright with excitement and anticipation.

"When will we be there?" Ace mewled, also anxious to get to this creek. He had never seen a creek, and he was jealous of Snake because she had crossed one on her journey back home almost four moons ago.

"We're almost there, it won't be long now." He sighed, and bit back a remark at Soot who looked like she was dancing from excitement. Humor pricked at his tongue, pushing him to say something but he knew that a comment will earn him a bat from his mother.

Near sun high Maple stopped and turned back to her kits. "Ok, we're here. Before you to run off there are a few things you need to know." She watched her kits, amusement and affection warming her pelt as she watched her kits shiver with eagerness. "The water is low and gentle right now because it is a dry season, but the more rain we have the faster and stronger the current becomes, which makes it dangerous. Also, watch for snakes that live on the banks. And most importantly, don't go howling off downstream. Understood?" When her kits nodded eagerly, she flicked her tail signaling to them that they may go.

Snake squealed with joy as she turned and bolted to the edge, hurling herself off it and plummeted into the cold water. "Snake be careful!" Ace dashed after his sister, worried the fall could've hurt her. The chilled water flowed through his pelt pricking at his flesh, he felt Soot land beside him. Snake bursted out of the water and tackled him before jumping off hissing playfully. "Nook, come join us!" Snake called up to her old friend, who sat comfortably on the shore with her mother.

"No, I think I'm good Snake. Not a big fan of water you know." His eyes lit up with humor as he took in her sagging pelt that clutched at her delicate frame, usually fluffed up, and chuckled when Ace pounced on her dragging her into the water.

"Careful!" Maple called out to her kit, Nook tapped her shoulder with his forepaw in attempt to reassure her. Soot giggled and climbed onto her brother's broad shoulders, clearly favoring Baylor's frame. Snake danced around him, kicking up water in her wake.

"They have Baylor's blood, water won't do anything to hurt them." She sighed, and sent her friend a half hearted, but grateful, smile. Soot yelped as Ace fell back in order to shake her off. She leapt off of his shoulders and slid out of the water climbing onto a large and warm rock to bask. Snake was splashing Ace in attempt to blind him so that she could tackle him again. Instead he swerved and ran up to the bank by Soot and shook the water from his drenched pelt onto hers. She hissed at him, swiping at his muzzle with annoyance. He ducked it and grinned at her before sitting down. Snake joined them, not wanting to be alone in the creek.

"I hope Baylor comes back soon, I miss him." Nook looked towards Maple, and recognized the longing in her eyes, it reminded him of his ache for Feathermist's teasing tone and gentle words. "I'm so worried about the move he keeps bring up. Last time he visited he said that Fallen would probably be moving to send out the patrols by next moon. What then? How will we follow my mate without getting caught?"

"StarClan knows how we will do it, but we will make it. It will be ok, now clear your head of those thoughts. Feel how refreshing the air is, won't be but a few sunfalls before leaf bare begins."

The leaves had begun to turn into an array of yellows, browns, reds, oranges, and many other variations. And there was no mistaking the cooler winds at night, or the way squirrels rushed to fill their storages.

Maple nodded in agreement, and smiled to herself as she thought back to her time in BloodClan with Snipe and Baylor. They would huddle together out of the clan's reach and talk of it and other things, such as training and Baylor's future position as Captain of the Guard. It was funny to her, because when they were younger he didn't want his father's position, he wanted to be free. But things change. And that was a whole different time and they were different cats.

She was pulled from her thoughts when Snake jumped back into the water, and ran upstream, her brother letting her get a head start. Nook cleared his throat, before she could call them back. Maple took a deep breath and nodded at Nook, then moved to watching her kits anxiously. "You know, I discovered a new hunting spot by my den. It will be useful for when leaf bear does come." Nook called her attention.

Maple turned to him "Really? What ails there?"

"Mostly field mice, some quail, and the occasional dove," he thought back to the hunting ground, a vast field a ways away from his den near a farmer's home. However, it was conviently in between the old barn Maple lived in and his den.

"I'll let Baylor know, he and I could go hunting together. Maybe the kits could come along and practice their hunting skills, you know Ace needs work on his hunter's crouch."

"He has more of a warrior's build, Soot is well suited for hunting. Snake would be good too, as long as she doesn't have to hunt larger prey like rabbits. She still has time to grow, didn't you say Baylor had oversized paws like hers, and that he grew into them?" Nook tilted his head to her direction slightly, taking his attention off of the creek the kits ran down momentarily.

"Yes, he is so sure that she will be one of the best fighters, but she's so small I- I just don't know." Maple looked down at her paws, embarrassed that she doubted her kit.

"Don't let her size fool you, she is still young. I can feel it in my bones, Snake will become a very skilled cat, she keeps up with her siblings very well." Maple smiled, and nodded at Nook.

She parted her lips to comment but Soot's yowl of fright stopped her. "Mamma! Look at Snake and Ace!". Soot leapt into the water and swam across as quickly as she could to the safety of the two cats resting on the bank, mewling in fright.

"What? Where?!" Maple jumped up, scanning the area for her kits, fearing the worse. Nook strained his eyes, until he could make out the form of a cat. After a moment more his eyes stretched out horrified.

"Snake!" Nook yowled and jumped into the water, surging himself towards the tiny shecat who laid across Ace's shoulders, who's eyes were filled with fright and confusion. Both of their coats clung to their frame, matted and clumped with blood, some dripping off diluted by water.

"What happened?" Nook reached the kits, Maple not far behind him, her eyes wide with terror.

"There was this huge thing, with gashes and bite marks, lying dead in the water… Snake and I, we didn't mean too, but we ran into it! Snake tripped and hit her head on a rock, mamma I'm scared." Nook Looked down at his paws, and noticed the water was beginning to run crimson.

"Take the kits home Maple, I'll catch up with you in a bit. I'm going to see what's up." She nodded and turned towards her unconscious kit, rasping her tongue along her forehead trying to wake her up.

"Give her to me Ace, I'll carry her."

As she moved to take Snake ace Backed away shaking his head, "no mamma I'll be ok. Dad wouldn't let you carry her." Maple forced a small smile, and flicked her tail for him to follow. Soot was still on the bank, her body stiff from fright. She flinched back as Ace walked passed her and ran up to her mother, their pelts brushing up against each other.

Nook watched them leave, and then he began to pad upstream cautiously, scenting the air. _BloodClan_ , the wretched scent burned his nose and almost choked him as he came near the thing Ace was trying to describe. A dog, a smaller one, laid limp with blood gushing out of its neck from a deep gash. _Can't be more than an hour old,_ Nook wrinkled his muzzle in disgust, and turned back to catch up with Maple as promised. _Those mangy BloodClan cats expanded their territory, Felicity is holding back her cats for now… What for though?_

He found the shecat mooning over her kit in the Moore, who had woken up. "Mamma it wasn't that scary! Remember when I took on that dog with Nook? It was at least three times its size!" He smiled, the kit's spunk clearly wasn't damaged.

"Oh Nook, I was beginning to worry. We waited here for you; my paws are itching to be back in our barn." Maple smiled at him, and Snake flashed him a toothy grin. Ace was grooming the blood off her pelt, and Soot was cowering by her mother's flank.

"Mamma, don't you know that you shouldn't worry about Nook? He is one of the smartest and fastest cats we know!" Snake lifted herself onto her haunches, grinning at Nook. He flashed her a grin in return.

"Let us head back then, I wouldn't mind some shelter from this chill." Maple eagerly rounded up her kits and joined Nook, who had to step carefully to avoid trampling on the spritely kit who danced about his paws.

"Nook did you see it? What happened to it? Tell Soot about the dog we fought because she doesn't believe me… oh! Nook were you _scared_ of the dog by the creek? Because I wasn't!" He glanced over to Maple who was shaking her head in defeat, and he bit back his laughter.

Nook hushed the kit and began answering her questions and more, as they head to the barn.

"Ha! Did you hear the way it yelped when we jumped on it, forcing it down in the mud!" Smoke laughed, brushing her pelt against Quake's, eyes bright. He joined in with her, his laugh echoing with hers through the alleyway back into the camp.

"How about when the dog howled as Frost slit its throat, too bad those clumsy twolegs couldn't hear him!" Ghost padded up beside him, Frost matching his step obviously proud.

"Don't forget when Quake took him head on first, the beast didn't know what hit him," Frost giggled. He flashed her a grin, Smoke nipped his shoulder bringing his attention back to her. He sent the fiery shecat a wink, which she returned. Her eyes were full of promise, as her tail entwined with his. The tom did the same, pushing down the nagging thought of the recruit. He pressed his muzzle against Smoke, replacing the memory of her scent with Smoke's.

Baylor caught sight of the pair walking in camp, and lashed his tail in annoyance. "Quake, you'll have time for that later! Get back into your position with Wolf, Fox, and Hail!" Baylor barked his order at him, Smoke flattened her ears. "Welp, duty calls." He detached himself from Smoke to carry out Baylor's orders.

"You three, you can go hunting for Fallen and Lost, since you seem so eager to take time out of camp without permission. Afterwards you will report back to me for intensive training, maybe next time you will get my permission." He stared down Smoke, daring her to say otherwise. She flashed him a glare before padding off stoutly with her siblings close behind.

Quake lowered his head respectfully as he passed Baylor, and leapt down onto the camp grounds. He spotted his assigned training group and trotted up to join them, tail raised in greeting. Wolf flattened her ears; she wasn't fond of the tom.

"Quake, nice for you to join us," Hail greeted him. He sent the tom an apologetic smile, Fox sighed and shook her head.

"You and me, Hail what do you want me to do?" The trainer observed the two, sizing them up.

"Show me what you got, and I'll evaluate your weaknesses and strengths, begin." Fox surged at the tom but at the last minute she jumped to his left and as he turned to match her she swerved and rammed into his side sending him rolling in the dirt. Fox pounced at him meaning to claw above his eye and retreat but he regained enough ground to bat her aside sending her flying.

The shecat hissed as the she crashed up against a tree, sharp pains jolting up her spine. Quake leapt to his feet and ran at Fox and before she could do a counter attack he pounced on her, latching onto Fox's pelt, rolling with her until he flung her off towards the brick wall. Fox turned in mid air before she could hit the wall, jumping off of it and ramming into Quake tackling him into the ground.

"Enough!" Hail yowled at the two, "I've seen enough. Wolf you pair up with Quake, don't go easy on him." He grinned at the shecat; she glared at Quake briefly nodding at Fox when the two passed each other. "Begin."

Wolf caterwauled at the tom as she hurled herself at him. Quake quickly bunched up his muscles and launched himself over the shecat. Wolf leaped up into the air mid run clawing his abdomen as he passed. He yowled in agony as he collapsed on the ground, his blooding soaking the sand. Wolf fell to her paws, lashing her tail.

"Good as always, Wolf. Quake you underestimated your opponent. You rely on your size and strength in a battle, a fatal error, don't you think?" Hail turned with a knowing smile at the shecat, who shook her paw in turn, flicking the blood off of it. Hail smiled and looked up on the ledge overlooking the camp and winked at Baylor. Baylor grinned and dipped his head at his trainer. _That should teach the stupid crowfood not to break my rules again._ Quake raised his gaze to Baylor, anger bristling his pelt. He tied to stand up on his paws, but his abdomen wrenched in pain making him double over gasping, before he fell back onto the wet sand.

"Fox, fetch Lost. She knows a little about herbs and such things." Hail looked to the amused shecat beside him.

"I'll hurry back sir." She leapt to her paws, muscles taunt and ready to bolt.

"Oh no, you're tired from an intense day of training. Take your time, he's not going anywhere." Hail chuckled, Fox bit back her laughter, and set off to Fallen's alley.

Quake forced his eyes open to look around the camp, he felt his pelt grow hot when he noticed half the guard was watching him, a few were snickering. He caught Fade's gaze, and he turned away to embarrassed to hold it. Quake groaned as he pulled himself up, his forelimbs shaking from the effort. Blood continued to ooze out of his stomach, and he dared a look. It wasn't a fatal gash, but he knew it might as well be since he would have to take time off to recover. _Shit, the whole clan will be laughing about me. What guard, hardened by seasons of training and fighting, takes time off because of a shecat a third of his size?_ He glanced back at the shecat, and she gave him a sympathetic smile. He quickly turned to Baylor, catching the smug look on his face.

"Ok what idiot needs my help now?" Lost padded into the camp with authority, Baylor acknowledged her but said nothing. He didn't need to, with Quake being surrounded by a pool of blood and clearly on the verge of passing out though he hid it well. "Ah, Quake. Why am I not surprised?" Lost walked up to him, and pushed him back down into the dirt with her forepaw. He grunted as he made contact, but did nothing to protest.

She examined the wound closely, and began grooming it to clear out some of the blood. Quake moaned as she put pressure on it, testing to see how swollen it was or if there was damaged nerves. Satisfied, she stepped back and turned to address Baylor who was still on the ledge over looking his grounds. "It's not too serious, give him a moon to rest and make sure he keeps the wound clean. It might help if he tried using that yellow flower; you know chewing it and spreading the pulp."

"Thank you for your advice Lost, I will have him put off duty until next moon." He dipped his head respectfully at his deputy, and held back a chuckle when she stuck up her chin and padded off.

"Report to me at sun fall for a vital meeting, those who do not show will be punished. As you were!" Baylor's voice boomed through the camp, and his cats quickly carried out his orders. He padded off the slope to his and Cathair's shared den. It was dark and stuffy inside, and Cathair laid curled up in the far right corner. He was now showing his age if haven't before. Baylor cleared his throat to catch the tom's attention. Cathair grunted in return, inviting his son in, Baylor slid in and curled up beside the weary tom.

"Have you chosen your cats yet?" Cathair pried open his eyes, which were marked with sleep.

"Yes, I will announce them at the meeting. You, son?"

"Yes sir I have… and we still agree on the five?" Baylor questioned his father, who forgot things and changed his mind at times.

"As long as you haven't changed your mind." The old tom croaked the words out.

"I haven't, well then it's agreed… we're actually doing this." A cool breeze swept in, and whipped at Cathair's whiskers and matted fur adding almost an ancient appearance.

"Fallen wishes it, and we are low on prey, if it meant more food and room for our forces to grow then why not? And son, new places means new cats, which always leads to new recruits." Baylor nodded, _the one good thing coming out of this_. Him and his father continued to debate on the expedition even thought they both knew it was pointless.

Sunfall came quickly, all of his patrols had returned with no news of Felicity and Smoke, Frost, and Ghost had returned from their hunt. Every cat sat beneath the ledge, even the cats who made up the majority of BloodClan even though they didn't have a position, the camp overflowed with cats, some had to perch on the scraggily trees on the edge of the training grounds.. Quake sat beneath the ledge, Smoke curled up next to him nurturing his wounded pride. Out of the guard, only one cat remained absent and that was Titus.

"Come on Cathair, it's sunfall and the guard is waiting to hear our news." His father flicked his ear, and hoisted himself up grunting from the effort. Baylor turned away and buried the pain he felt swell up inside of him. Cathair strolled out in front of the young cat to greet the clan first.

Cathair didn't have to speak up to quiet down the cats, everyone had great respect for the elder, even Fang who usually took every opportunity to stir up trouble clamped his jaws shut in awe of the elder above him. Baylor stood next to his father, the moon lighting up his pelt and highlighting the muscles carved into his frame. His gaze seared down onto every cat present, taking in the scene before him. Baylor was quick to notice a new recruit, Titus, wasn't present.

"Fallen has assigned Baylor and I to choose and appoint three worthy cats each to join each other on a patrol, in order to scout the new territory the rogues spoke of." Cathair spoke with authority and dignity, his voice reaching every cat's ears clearly. He twitched his tail, and Baylor cleared his throat.

"My three cats will be Wolf, Jagged, and Sleet. You have been chosen for your experience, wisdom, and loyalty." Baylor switched his gaze to the three cats, noticing with amusement at how Wolf's eyes sparked with purpose and honor. He knew he chose well on his part. He looked to his father, signaling his turn to speak.

"I have chosen Butler, Mags, and Havoc. I realize only one of you is a guard, but I am well aware of your knowledge of healing and foreign lands and what comes with them Mags. And Butler, old friend, I have complete faith that your years have made you a wise choice for this mission. Also, Mags you are to lead this patrol." Butler and Mags dipped their heads, shocked that they were given such an honor. Fang flattened his ears, and leaned in to whisper to a BloodClan cat, who nodded his head in return, eyes pooling with judgment.

"For the second patrol, who will reside in the territory with one of the original cats, if suitable of course, are cats both Cathair and I believed best. Smoke, Shade, Wander, Fox, and Salem, you five will make up this patrol. Fox will lead it."

"First patrol, you will leave in two suns. We'll send out the second patrol in half a moon, talk with Fallen before you head out." Cathair cleared his throat, forcing back a cough.

"Dismissed, and if any of you see Titus send him to me." Baylor flicked his tail and turned around, leaving the cats to talk and disperse. Baylor searched for Salem, who usually took to the sidelines. Cathair cleared his throat catching his son's attention, and with a nod of his head to a corner of the camp, beneath a ragged tree.

The secretive cat was quietly speaking with the new recruit, Fade, a look of caution on his face. Baylor nodded at his father and leapt down from the ledge and onto the camp grounds.

"Baylor!" A beautiful Siamese shecat pushed her way through the mass of bodies to him.

He smiled at the shecat, "Nettle." Her eyes brightened, and her tail stuck straight up in the air.

"Havoc and I wanted to invite you on a hunt later tonight, I have a good feeling that there will be a few mice on the edge of the north border," her eyes danced with hope.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, I'll meet you there after I take care of some business." He mewed warmly at his old friend, she had been the only cat to stand up for Viper when she was tortured after the fight. The shecat dipped her head at him before turning to engage with Hail who had padded up behind her, Baylor could sense the hope radiating from him.

Baylor grinned at the tom, before taking back his commanding air to shove his way to Salem. He found the tom still whispering to Fade, who was hunched over with her ears flattened against her cranium. Salem looked as if he was trying to comfort her. Baylor patiently waited for his presence to be noticed, not wanting to intrude.

Salem quickly scented the tom and snapped his head up. "Baylor, what can I do yah for?" The shecat popped her head up, and her pelt burned with embarrassment.

"oh- I'm sorry… I didn't mean to hold you up, I'll go." The shecat jumped on her paws, and winced slightly when she put pressure on her forepaw, which was obviously injured from battle training.

"No, sit. What happened to your paw?" The shecat obeyed, and laid her tail over it in attempt to hide it.

"Well, I was training under Fang with Vic, Willow, and Stitch today… while I was attempting to skid underneath Fang he caught me off guard and tripped me his forepaw, I fell and twisted mine… It was all my fault, it won't happen again." The shecat lowered her head, avoiding her commander's intimidating gaze.

"Fang is known for being harsh, this was a good lesson for you. I know you will learn from it and improve yourself, go and soak it in the creek. It'll ease the swelling." The shecat dipped her head and limped off along the outskirt of the camp.

"Do you think she was a wise choice for a recruit Baylor?"

"She shows promise; she just needs to gain some confidence. That comes in time. Now Salem, do you know what you're supposed to do?" The tom's eyes turned hard and serious, as he nodded curtly in response.

"Good, I know I can rely on you to keep this between us, and be discrete?" Baylor leaned in, searching the tom's eyes for any uncertainty.

"You have my word Baylor, and what about my mate, Harper?" Salem flicked his tail, burying his emotion.

"She will be safe, no cat will harm her Salem. Now rest up and prepare yourself, you'll need all of your cunning and strength for the next half moon. I would like to assign you to train under Sleet and Titan. I'll also have you work with Mags some, she is very knowledgeable. You start tomorrow at sunhigh." Salem nodded, and dismissed himself in the direction that Fade went.

Baylor had began to head to meet up with Nettle and Havoc when he heard a familiar caterwaul cry out. _What now?_ He looked over his shoulder, to see a ring of cats surrounding Fang and some random tom who were pacing around Mags and Butler. He groaned, and strode towards the scene.

"Who do you think you are crowfood, to be put head of the patrol?" Fang spat at Mags, who crouched down ready to dodge a blow.

"Stay off her Fang." Butler hissed at the tom, and Fang's friend- a white cat with black ears and tipped tail who went by Luke, struck at his flank. Butler spun around and hissed at the tom warningly.

"I know who I am Fang, but you do not. You feed off of other's pain and think yourself a god because of it. Leave me be, I have no quarrel with you." Mags narrowed her eyes, and tensed her muscles ready for any attack he'd make. Fang grinned, and the moons lit up his brown eyes, leaving them to emit a reddish glow.

"You should think before you speak," Fang growled at Mags, before he lunged at her with his lengthy claw outstretched. Butler yowled and launched himself at Fang, catching him before he landed on Mags. The two hit the ground with a thud, and Smoke began to yowl from excitement. Other cats joined in, feeding off of each other's energy. Mags became fixated on the fight before her, evaluating the situation. Luke saw his chance and hurled himself at her, she yelped in surprise and then howled in agony as she felt his claws tear through her pelt. Some of the cats screeched and cried, her cry adding elation.

Butler remained tangled with Fang, as the cat lashed out at his face tempestuously. Another BloodClan cat, Murk, dethatched himself from the ocean of cats and rammed into Fang. He tumbled into the ground, before rolling onto his feet, poised and ready to strike. Mags managed to bunch her hind quarters under Luke and pummel his abdomen until the tom cried from pain and relinquished his grasp on her. He regrouped with Fang, who's eyes where lit with fire. Butler pulled himself to his feet, and shook his head, sending drops of crimson onto the ground and cats around him.

Baylor had enough of the onslaught, and forced his way through the last row of cats, breaking out onto the circle. "That is enough, this gathering is dismissed." Fang, trembling with adrenaline, lashed his tail infuriatingly.

"Who are you to stop a fight, when you used to challenge other cats or bet on them?" He spat at Baylor. Baylor growled low in his throat, his pelt bristled and claws unsheathed warningly. The cats fell silent as a mouse.

"I am your Captain of The Guard! And the cats you were assaulting were ordered by Fallen himself to be organized into patrols." Baylor lashed his tail, and anger flared up in his eyes. Fang growled, and kneaded the dirt temptingly. "So much as meow on more word to me Fang and I will rip your jugular out of your flea bitten throat!" Baylor hissed at the tom. Fang narrowed his eyes, and his muscles tensed. Baylor recognized the rebellious fire that began to flare up in his eyes, the same as Snipe's had. "Come on, try me." He unsheathed his massive claws, and after a moment Fang backed up and shook his pelt, sheathing his claws.

"It's not worth my time, I have better things to do." He turned to Mags and Butler flashing them one more glare before stalking off slowly to the dens. Luke, seeing that his friend had backed down, sheathed his claws too and flicked his tail once more before melting into the group of cats.

"Damn right you do Fang," Baylor called after him. He looked towards the battered BloodClan cats, and Mags sent him a small grateful smile. He returned the smile, and dipped his head at Butler. After assessing their conditions and deciding that it wasn't life threatening, he padded up the slope leaving the remaining cats to themselves.

Baylor sighed, and jumped into the brush towards the North border. _A good hunt is just what I need, to clear my mind_.

Nettle was stretched out beneath the glow of a street lamp, beside her brother, who was murmuring something to her. She bristled and sat up, swatting at his ear.

"Don't believe everything you hear Havoc!" He snickered, and Nettle dug her claws into the dirt to avoid scratching him, the shecat's pelt was heated with embarrassment.

"Smoke didn't have to tell me, I can smell his scent on you right now Nettle." The tom held a smug look on his face, which Nettle had to restrain herself from whipping it off. As if right on cue, Baylor trotted up. The crisp night air whipped through his thin pelt, leaving him to shudder. _I wonder how Maple and the kits are fairing. I bet that loner Nook is keeping Snake up filling her head with stories again._ Nettle scented him before he left the shadows of the alley into the light of the lamp, and he quickly cleared his thoughts.

"Finally, what kept you man?" Havoc question his captain.

"Just some business, but I don't want to talk about it. Nettle, where was that place you mentioned?" The shecat sent him a sympathetic smile.

"Those bins before you reach the forest line, I was patrolling that area earlier and I swear I heard scuffling around the roots of the trees; thought they would abandon the safety of their holes for a midnight snack." She stood up, and shook out the dust from her pelt.

"Let's go find out then, I don't have all night you know." Baylor stretched out his forearms, loosening up the tendons for a run.

"Where do you go?" Havoc inquired the burly tom.

"Just for a run, patrolling off territory, it's an opportunity to wear off stress and search for information about Felicity." Baylor stood up and shook his pelt, "ok I'm ready." Havoc nodded, even though he didn't entirely believe him. However, Baylor being his Captain he didn't question him, and set off at a steady lope to the bins Nettle described. The shecat followed her brother, matching him paw for paw. Baylor looked out in the direction of the moor, he briefly pictured his family before turning to take off after his friends.


	6. Dark Beginnings

**Characters:**

BloodClan:

Fallen: Leader of BloodClan; tom; an orange cat with black ears, tail and brown tabby stripes, he has a single white paw and green eyes; lanky but muscular

Lost: Deputy of BloodClan; shecat; blue/gray pelt with silver eyes, has only half her tail; small (resembles a main coon)

Leader's Advisors: (They give out advise to the leader and help with the trainers on assessing and placing a new cat)

Diesel: tom; tortoishell of brown, hazel, and white with brown eyes; average but built

Broken: tom; pale yellow and white tabby with a broken tail tip from a battle long ago, has blue eyes; large

The Guards of BloodClan:

Cathair: Advisor of the guard; tom; dark brown pelt with gray paws and spots along his back and tail, his chest and underbelly are white and he has bright green eyes; massive, but hunched over

Baylor: Captain of the Guard and son of Cathair; tom; white pelt with a gray spot on his neck, back, and flank, he has brown paws and ears. He also has one black spot overlapped by the gray one on his shoulder, his eyes are a bright green; massive and muscular

Hail: trainer; tom; Brown with black spots and silver flecks; large

Sleet: trainer; shecat; silver tabby with one black paw and gray eyes; petite

Fang: trainer; tom; a brick red with a white chest and brown eyes; lanky

Titan: trainer; tom; calico, has ice colored eyes; massive

Jasper: tom; Black and white tabby with turquoise eyes; bulky and decently sized

Jagged: tom; brother of Jasper; Gray and black tabby cat with a white streak that goes down his muzzle, has sky blue eyes; also bulky and decently sized

Owl: shecat; dark and light brown tabby, has a black line that stretches down her back; small

Rose: shecat; sister of Rose; a yellow shecat with a red hue and a white chest and paws, she has green eyes; petite

Fox: shecat; sister of Rose; orange pelt with a red hue, has white paws and a black tipped tail, also has deep green eyes; petite

Willow: shecat; light gray shecat with a dark gray face and back, fades out into a silver under belly and she has hazel eyes; large

Quake: tom; all black with yellow eyes; massive

Stitch: tom; gray with one black paw and crimson eyes, got his name after he was caught by the cutter and released neutered; large

Frostbite (Frost): tom; brother to Ghost and Smoke; silver body with white tipped paws and nose, has ice blue eyes; lanky

Smoke: shecat; sister to Frostbite and Ghost; smoke brindled with a pale gray, has a white chest and tipped ears, also has gray eyes; small

Ghost: tom; brother to Smoke and Frostbite; pure white with a silver tipped tail and ears, gray eyes with flecks of ice blue; large but lanky

Wander: tom; brown and black tabby with a white chest and has orange eyes; massive with lean build

Vic: tom; ginger and brown marbled, has a white muzzle and rings under his eyes; small

Wolf: shecat; Persian cat with a silver and brown pelt, has blue eyes; built but short

Shade: tom; red with a darker red belly and brown eyes; average

Nettle: shecat; sister to Havoc; Siamese, has blue eyes; petite but tall

Havoc: tom; Siamese, has blue eyes; massive

Titus: tom; long black pelt with a red-ish hue, has a white chest, paws, and tipped tail with pale green eyes, large and built (recruit)

Fade: shecat; tawny short coat with a dark brown mask on her face, legs, ears, and tail. Has a white chest with bright sea blue eyes; average and lean, has a longer tail than most (recruit)

BloodClan Cats:

Mags: shecat; a light brown tabby cat with a bobbed tail and strange purple eyes; average and lanky

Butler: tom; deep gray undercoat with a black overcoat (deep gray coat catches in the sun), and a single white paw and light yellow eyes; large and lanky with some build

Salem: tom; pitch black pelt with a gray paw and red spot on his tail and back, has one red tipped ear, has bright green eyes; large and built; mate to Harper

Luke: tom; white with black ears and tipped tail, has bright green eyes, average

Murk: tom; shaggy gray coat with white paws, has light blue eyes; stocky

Harper: shecat; mahogany red with a white face and underbelly, has a black spot over her left eye and on her right forepaw, has tawny eyes; average; mate to Salem

Rogues:

Blue: tom; silver gray cat with dark gray rings around his eyes and a black patch on his face, has stunning blue eyes; large and lean

Thatcher: tom; dark brown pelt with a sandy brown chest and paws, has white stripes on his face with brown eyes; large and built

Macie: shecat; light golden pelt with a yellow underbelly and light brown ears and tipped tail, has light blue eyes; average and lean

Posy: shecat; white with cream ears and tail, had a black muzzle and bright green eyes; carrying kits; average and lean

Maple: shecat; a deep mahogany pelt with golden swirls, a white chest, muzzle, paws, and tail with one red spot at the end of it. She has soft blue eyes; petite with long legs

Snake: shecat, daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long golden pelt with darker golden/mahogany swirls, a white chest, paws, underbelly, underside of tail and tip of tail. Also has bright green and lively eyes with silver woven into them and dark brown ears; petite with long legs

Ace: tom, son of Baylor and Maple; has a thick dark brown pelt that darkened into a black as it neared his belly and down his legs, his face is black with dark brown tabby markings strewn across it, has a single white paw and soft blue eyes; Massive like his father

Soot: shecat; daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long silvery smoke pelt with dark gray paws and tipped tail, has white tipped ears and muzzle and a dark gray spot on her shoulder like her father's, one eye is soft blue and the other a green; petite with long legs

The sky was clear and crisp and the moon was near full sending beams of light upon the shecat lighting her coat up to a blue glow. She sat on an old and tired tin roof that overlooked the alleyways and streets on the west border of the city that held so many dark secrets. The remainder of her tail was draped across her hind paws.

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," A gruff voice mewed from behind her. A black tom, though the moonlight struck his pelt red, hauled himself onto the tin roof from a neighboring tree branch. The shecat continued to stare off into the distance, eyes straining as if she was searching for something.

"Oh, no, you didn't. I enjoy sitting up here, sometimes if I look hard enough I can see past the roofs and smog of this place and catch a glimpse of fields and trees," she spoke softly. The tom looked towards the direction her nose seemed to point too, but he couldn't see the fields and trees she talked about. He stole a glance at the curve of her frame, before clearing his thoughts and bringing himself back to the matter at hand.

"So, I guess you still want to go? You know, with me?" He tentatively took a step forward, nerves on edge. She turned around, her blue eyes striking his pale green ones. He took in her features: her enormous eyes, then her small nose and gentle smile, the sharp tuffs on her ears, and then onto her delicate build. She wasn't built for this life, and he longed to give her the one he was sure that she deserved.

She turned her head towards the streets, and thought for a moment. "I have only ever known this life…" Lost inhaled the aroma of the city, where she had spent every moon since her kithood working to be in the position she now held. The shecat looked at her paws and closed her eyes painfully, "but yes Titus, I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to." She stood up and turned around to face him. His pelt burned when she took a step forward.

"You won't miss your mate, Fallen?" The words left a bitter taste on his tongue and he fought the urge to spit it out.

Lost scraped her claws against the roof. "He forced me to be his mate, I didn't have a choice. He stripped me of that, but he only did so because he knows that I don't love him… He believes in time that I will grow to love him, but will that be before or after I have to bear his kits?" Lost lashed her tail, and her pelt bristled from anger. Titus fought the urge to comfort her, knowing that he would only bring back haunting memories.

"You won't have to bear his kits, Blue and his rogues will be making their move next moon and we can escape. I'll get you out of here and away from him, I promise." He looked hard into her eyes, in attempt to reassure her. She leaned in closer to him, but she stopped herself and sighed longingly.

"Titus, why are you doing this?" Lost searched his gaze for an answer but found none, she turned away from him and returned to her perch on the edge, tail draped over her hind paws.

"What do you mean?" He padded to join her, his massive stature making her look more delicate than ever. He noticed the unkempt tufts that poked out from her pelt where she had always kept it neatly groomed and smooth before.

"Why are you helping me Titus? If you're caught you'll be tortured, and I don't think I could bear to see that happen."

"Lost, don't worry about me I'll be fine. Just look towards the day when you're free from this place." He laid his tail on her flank, and looked out to the city rooftops. Lost tensed when she felt his touch, recalling the time when Fallen forced himself on her. She inhaled the scent that radiated from Titus, _this is not Fallen,_ _it's not him,_ she told herself, and relaxed. She looked up to the burly tom, and leaned into his pelt slowly, testing herself. Lost drowned in his scent and melted into his frame, closing her eyes. Titus looked down at the shecat, his heart swelling. He wrapped his tail around her, and laid his chin over her forehead delicately, purring.

Leafbare had begun to engulf the land, frost clinging to foliage and pipes alike and stripped the sun of its warmth, replacing it with chilling gusts of wind and looming clouds. Despite the less welcoming frigidness of Leafbare Maple and Baylor's kits were restless as ever, keeping their mother on her toes so that she wouldn't lose them in the frozen blades of grass that surrounded their home. Being six moons now, their true features were coming in and their muscles toning to match their energy. Nook moved into the barn, since a fox had moved close to his den, not to Baylor's liking of course. Also, his thin pelt and bobbed tail left him vulnerable to the cold and the barn held more heat.

Baylor opened his eyes, drawing himself from his dreams. He let his them adjusts to the moonless night, something was off. He dragged himself out of his nest and onto the dew tipped grass outside of his den. There was something about the way the wind blew tonight, it just wasn't right. He padded over to the ledge, to look over his camp. Nothing stirred below, and there was no sign of life aside from the blood stained sands from yesterday's training. Still, the aura pricked at his senses until he could barely stand it.

Suddenly, Maple and his kits flashed into his mind, and his paws twitched from anticipation. Every one of his senses were on fire, he knew that he couldn't rest until he checked on them. Baylor looked into his den once more, and seeing that his father was still deep in his sleep he turned and loped through the city to the moor.

Upon reaching the vast fields, the ambiance was so thick and unnerving he fought every bone in his body not to bolt to the barn. The urge was so strong he had to bite his tongue not to caterwaul a warning to any threat that may lurk near his family.

Baylor parted his way through a thick fog that draped itself over him. The dew chilled his pelt, which was hot with angst. He glanced up at the sky, and a starless black pool stared back at him. Finally, he couldn't fight it anymore and sprinted the remaining foxlengths.

He slid through the barn doors and a strong odor hit his nose with such an intensity that he choked. _Blood._

His eyes quickly adjusted to the horror that laid itself before him. A dark figure stretched out in front of him. Baylor's eyes grew wide as he coiled back from shock, _his eyes-no it can't be!_

"Think you could get rid of me, did you Baylor?" The cat's dog teeth protruding from his collar glinted from an unidentified source of light.

"I killed you, there's no way- how?" Baylor took in the cat before him, struck with fear.

"Didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you Baylor?" The tom took a step forward, hatred lacing his voice. "Thought you could protect her? You were _dead_ wrong."

"What did you do?!" Baylor yowled at his former leader. Reaper grinned, his eyes pooling with pleasure. He sidestepped and waved his tail over what scene laid out behind him.

Baylor buckled at the sight, Maple and his kits, strewn across the floors. Their blood was splattered onto the weathered walls and pooled around them. Maple's eyes stared blankly at him, tears staining her beautiful and untouched face. Reaper stood tall and proud, soaking up the rapturous pride at the sight of the undefeated tom crumpled on the ground moaning like a lost kit. Baylor couldn't believe it, his perfect family left like crowfood for the rats to fight over.

Baylor jolted awake his pelt damp from sweat, he looked around trying to remember where he was. He quickly recognized the dog house him and his father shared, he focused on his paws, blocking out the fear that threatened to drown out his common sense. He shut the dream out and forced his breathing to slow and his claws to unhook from the ground. His toothed collar felt like it was choking him, and he forced his paw in between his throat and the leather.

"Son?" Cathair lifted his head up and peered through squinted eyes at Baylor. The tom was still breathing heavily and his body was trembling slightly. He snapped head in the direction that his father spoke from, and stared at Cathair for a moment to collect his thoughts.

"Bad dream." He chocked the words out, pulling himself back to reality. His father looked at the ground for a moment, thinking.

"Want to tell me about it?" Baylor shook his head slowly, mind still partly fixated on the gruesome scene that was laid out before him.

"The longer you keep this thing, whatever is, to yourself the more it will haunt you. I don't know what is so bad that you can't confide in me, I may have not been the most nurturing father but I am still someone you can trust." Cathair's gruff voice barely passed through Baylor's ears.

"I need to go for a run, I will one day have to tell you but it's best if I put it off as long as I can." Cathair sighed, too tired to press further. He rested his head back onto his paws before Baylor had left.

 _Gotta see her, gotta make sure she's ok. It's just a dream, Reaper is dead._ Baylor's paw steps drummed rhythmically as he sprinted through the alleyways to the forest. He ignored the BloodClan cats that stared at him as he passed, few of them annoyed because it was so late. He reached the forest before long, and didn't slow down when he pushed through the brush and briars stung his pelt as they scraped it. Baylor bursts through the last of them and raced through the moor, the grass whipping his face. He skidded to a stop when he saw the barn, concentrating on slowing his breath so he wouldn't worry Maple. He continued on at a brisk walk, relieved to scent only his family and Nook.

He slid through the entranceway him and Nook made, which was a hole in the barn door. Maple took the liberty herself to dig a tunnel out the back beneath a wheel barrow, it was well hidden. Baylor stood still for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dark barn. He bit back a snicker when he saw nook curled up in an old burlap sack stuffed with hay and moss, the sight amused him. He silently padded past the tom, careful not to wake him, and scaled up the ladder to where his mate and kits rested.

His heart wrenched when he saw his beautiful mate curled around his kits. He took in the sight of them, reveling in it. A small hole in the roof lit up the loft, highlighting Maple's features. Baylor padded up behind her quietly, he curled around her purring deeply.

Maple lifted her head up, prying her minds from her own dreams. She inhaled his scent, "Baylor," she breathed out. He sighed as she leaned back onto him, her sweet scent mixing with his own. He rested his head beneath hers, and closed his eyes letting sleep take hold.

"Dad!" Snake pounced on her father, tumbling over his broad shoulders. Baylor stretched out his forelimbs yawning, he blinked the sleep out of his eyes; his mind still foggy.

"Good morning Snake," he mewed hoarsely. Snake leapt up and began batting as his ear.

"Can we do training today? I've been practicing with Ace!" A draft pushed a dead leaf across the floor and she jumped at it pretending it was an intruder. Soot pounced out from behind a hale bale and tackled Snake. "Hey!" she mewled as her bigger sibling rolled her around on the floor in mock battle.

Ace jolted awake and peered around the room to see what was going on. His eyes brightened when he saw his sisters playing, and filled with sudden energy that Maple wished she still had, he left his mother's side to join them. Snake finally detached herself from Soot, she yelped when she saw Ace charging at her. He leapt at Snake pushing her into some burlap sacks causing them to fall around the kits, Snake squealed from fright when the sack landed on top of her. Soot was mewling with laughter at her siblings thrashing beneath the rough cloth.

Maple sighed and shook her head with mock shame. She looked up at Baylor and mewed with laughter when she saw his face, "yes it's always like this! I have my own cats to train and keep in line to you know."

Baylor let out a quick sigh, "I think I'll stick with my guard."Maple giggled as he groomed her ear. She nuzzled him affectionately real quick and pulled herself to her paws. "Where are you going?" Baylor couldn't hide the disappointment on his face.

"Hunting, Nook found a good spot near a twoleg's den not far from here. They may look fine now but they'll be wailing for food soon enough." She shook her pelt, and licked down a few tufts sticking out on her chest. Baylor stood up and padded heavily over to her and licked down a tuft that stuck out on her shoulder.

"Ok, let's bring the kits then. It'll be a good lesson." He stepped back and grinned at her.

Ok, but you're keeping up with them." She bounced past him and slid down the latter, "Nook, ready?" The shecat called as she trotted past him. The tom was already stretched out beside the barn door, like usual.

Baylor sighed and turned to look at his kits. Snake and Ace were batting at each other while Soot jumped around them mewing at the to stop, 'because they'll mess up her moss collection', which stood not far off and held some of the softest moss around.

"Ok kits, line up in front of me-Snake! No Ace, now!" He had to almost yowl at the two to get their attention. Ace immediately padded over, Snake tumbling behind him. He bit back a smile seeing his kits perfectly lined up in front of him, _they remembered_.

"Ok, today I'm going to teach you how to hunt." Snake's eyes lit up, and he had to look at her firmly to keep her from bouncing around. "Before we go, you will stay in my eye sight and listen to me. Also, keep quiet once we get there so you don't scare off the prey. Ok?"

Ace stood tall, puffing out his chest, "yes, sir!" Soot and Snaked nodded in unison. He turned around flicking his tail indicating to them to follow him. He led them down the ladder and out to the moor where Maple and Nook sat waiting for them. Maple flashed him an amused grin, and he winked at her. Nook looked awkwardly to the side, pretending to see something interesting.

Snake bounded to the tom, "Nook, Daddy is going to teach us how to hunt!" Nook flicked his eyes to her and sighed inwardly, relieved that he was able to focus on something other than the two cats ahead nipping at each other affectionately.

"Really, what do you think you'll catch?" Nook inquired the energetic shecat, who was quivering with excitement as usual. Snake stood still for a moment, thinking.

"A rabbit!" She finally decided, and continued to frisk about.

"You're too small to catch a rabbit Snake, it'd eat you before you could catch it!" Ace padded up to her, shouldering the small kit snickering.

"No it wouldn't! I'll- I'll catch a hare to prove it." Snake stuck her tail high in the air, and held her head up confidently. Ace chortled, and she padded off briskly leaving her brother to himself. "Dad, it's really important." Snake slid between her parents, and whispered urgently to the burly tom.

"Hmm?" He took his eyes off Maple to look at his kit, curious.

"Ace says I would be eaten by a rabbit before I caught it, I told him I'd catch a hare… Can you teach me _that_?" Maple bit back a chuckle, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"I can try; your mom is the real expert with fast prey. How about she works with you while I take care of Ace and Soot, then I'll teach you some more fighting tactics if you're not too tired. Sound good?"

"Perfect!" Snake whipped around and padded to her sister to walk with her, close enough for their pelts to be brushing. They were muttering something Ace couldn't pick up, even though he nearly tripped over his large paws trying to lean in.

The sun lit up the field, highlighting the frost that grazed the tips of the grass. Snake pelted into the field and fell over, rolling into the crisp stalks. "Keep it up and there won't be anything to hunt" Nook nudged the kit up with his paw, "you would be an apprentice by now if you were a clan cat, they would be scolded for exhibiting such behavior." He grinned playfully at her, and she sat up slightly embarrassed and gave her chest a few licks.

"Now, Snake come with me and you two go with your Father." Maple padded out, followed by her mate who ushered his team to a separate section of the field. Nook padded to the far end of the field to catch some prey in case the kits weren't very fruit full.

"Mom are you going to teach me to catch a hare?" She sprung up on her paws, tail swishing.

"That depends on you Snake; if you can master your hunter's crouch this time and catch a mouse I'll show you how to catch one, deal?" Snake nodded eagerly in response.

"Ok, let's see it." Maple sat on her haunches. Snake hunkered down, and stretched herself along the ground. "Raise your tail just a bit and put less pressure on your paws, the mice will hear you coming." Snake adjusted her passion, until she heard her mother's mew of approval.

"Like this?" She asked, and focused on her body, trying to spread her weight evenly.

"Yes, now stalk that red leaf and pounce on it." Maple instructed her kit patiently, her chest warm with pride seeing her mold into a natural hunter. _She may never be the best at combat, but at least she has my hunting skills._

Snake carefully slid across the ground, putting each paw out in front of her with consideration. Her eyes focused on the crimson leaf in front of her, and when she was close enough she wiggled her haunches and pounced on the leaf, barely managing to catch it beneath her claws.

"Good, you were a little off balance but that's something I can't teach you. You will have to learn it on your own. Now, scent the air. What do you smell?" Snake unhooked her claws from the brittle leaf and parted her jaws, taking in tinge of morning life.

"Uhh- some kind of bird and, field mice?" She closed her jaws and looked to Maple uncertainly.

"Partridge and mourning doves, you'll catch on. Now go catch a field mouse, I'll follow you." Snake sighed, and scented the air, pin pointing the mice. She turned and slid into the grass, following the scent trails that were laced onto the dirt. She halted near a log, the scent radiating from it. She perked her ears, straining to hear any scuffs or scurrying. Her head snapped to the roots of a half dead tree, thrusting itself out of the ground on the edge of the field. Snake crouched down, relying on the grass to hide her. She caught a glimpse of a plump mouse gnawing on a nut near the base of the tree. Maple crawled up onto a rock and crouched down, eyeing her kit.

Snake glided across the ground swiftly, her belly fur grazing the ground. She adjusted her stride to a slow stalk once she reached the outskirts. The mouse cracked the shell open and started nibbling on the soft nut. Impatience pricked her paws, _I need to hurry, it's almost done_. The wind ruffled her fur, blowing the scent towards her. _At least the wind is on my side_ , she bunched her haunches up, eyeing the mouse. The creature froze, and dropped its nut looking around, alarmed by something. Snake grunted with frustration and shoved off the ground with all her might. She flew the remaining three foxlengths, hooking the mouse in her claws as she landed with a thud. Snake quickly nipped the mouse's neck, snapping it like Nook taught her too.

Maple yipped with joy and she leapt off the rock and trotted to her kit. "Finally! That's amazing, bury your kill here and I'll show you how to catch a rabbit."

"Did you see that?! The mouse was scared by something and I didn't know if I could make the jump, but I did!" Snake stuck her tail high, pride lighting up her face. She turned and dug a shallow hole like Maple instructed and buried the mouse.

Maple led her kit back out into the field, towards where Nook had went too. "Ok, tread lightly here. Rabbits hear remarkably well, so you have to be extremely quiet. When you see one, you want to get as close as you can without scaring it. It will probably hear you coming and run off, so you have to chase it down and grab its back legs. You want to pin it or immobilize it as soon as possible, scratch it up, break its leg, or if you can break its neck." Snake trotted behind her, listening attentively.

After a short walk Maple halted, and flicked her tail to Snake telling her to move ahead. Snake padded lightly up to the slightly larger shecat, and followed her gaze to the base of a small hill. A breeze blew the scent of what resided there, a young hare. Snake bit her tongue, nervous. Maple nodded at Snake, and both cats crouched down to hide themselves from the hare.

Snake gulped nervously, burying her excitement as she crept forward. She skimmed along the ground, weaving around pebbles and dead leaves. Snake focused on the lean prey ahead of her, it was thankfully preoccupied on grooming itself. She slid under a log, and tested the direction of the wind. Snake realized that the wind was blowing to her left, and shifted over to the right taking up the rear of the hare. She padded carefully up behind it, until she was several tail lengths away. Snake flicked her gaze to her mother, who nodded. She inhaled deeply, before shooting out from the underbrush, catching the young hare unawares. It bolted out, and Snake pulsed after. She stretched out her forelimbs as far as they could go and dug her hind claws into the dirt for more traction, ears flattened to her forehead from the wind.

The hare dashed under a log trying to throw the cat off, but Snake leapt over the log with ease, intent on catching the prey. She tailed the hare through the field, eyes stinging from the stalks whipping at her face. Her breath began to come in short huffs, and she barely managed to keep up with the animal. Just as she started to lose sight of it a lean cat leapt out of the brush and blocked the hare. Snake surged forward and tackled it, which was almost as big as her, yowling as it thrashed beneath her clawing her with its sharp hind claws. She quickly bit down on the hare's throat and it squealed in fright, before the blood gurgled in its throat cutting the cry short. Snake bit down further and thanks to her long teeth, she snapped its neck. The prey fell limp beneath her, and she let it fall from her jowls.

"You did it!" Nook piped up, purring. Snake looked up, her sides heaving from effort and muscles trembling from the excursion. She tried to say something but her lungs burned at the effort so she resorted to nodding her head. Maple ran over and stopped with a skid.

"You're always where you need to be, Thanks Nook," the tom dipped his head at her. "How do you feel Snake?" Maple questioned her kit good humouredly, Snake looked up and forced a smile, still too exhausted to speak. Maple looked over her kit, and noticed some blood clumping up around some scratches. She bent down worriedly, and checked them out. _Nook can put some stuff on it when we get back. No use in fixing them up now, if Baylor is going to teach her battle tactics._ Satisfied, she stood up and grabbed the hare in her jowls, nodding her head for the cats to follow.

Nook nudged Snake with his muzzle gently, urging her foreword. She shook her pelt and padded groggily after her mother, Nook trailing behind. Maple led the cats towards the mouse Snake caught earlier, and was surprised to see it accompanied by Nook's kill, a thrush and a vole. He went and collected the prey, and Snake dug her mouse up and, now refreshed, bounded after them.

Maple led the cats to Baylor, who was chastising Soot for not being quick enough. He stopped and lifted his gaze up, smiling warmly at his mate. "Looks like you had better luck than us. Snake's yowl scared most of the prey." He noticed the hare dangling from Maple's mouth, "what's this?" he jerked his head to the hare. She set it down, and Nook joined his prey with Snake's. Snake, as if on cue, bursts through the stalks behind them and laid her mouse down.

"I caught a mouse and a hare, told you Ace!" She boasted proudly. Maple sighed and padded over to Baylor, briefly touching muzzles with him before stepping back.

"How did they do?" Maple inquisited the tom, curious to know how her other kits are coming along with their hunting.

Baylor smiled rutilously, "they did alright, Soot caught a field mouse and Ace tracked down and killed a young rabbit that ventured out of its burrow." He paused for a moment, he chuckled recalling past events. "Definitely better than last time, when Ace fell into that ravine."

Maple pretended to be taken aback, "don't even dare joke about that." She cuffed him playfully on his ear. "I can't believe they're getting so old." She looked at her kits, Nook was trying to organize them but Ace and Snake where tackling each other again and Soot was cheering for her sister.

"With everything that's going on, it's probably for the best." Maple looked up at him, concern and anxiety pooling in her gaze. He buried his own, and rested his muzzle on her forehead. "Everything will work out, don't you worry you're pretty little eyes." Maple buried her face into his neck, breathing in his scent.

"Dad, can you do some battle practice with me?" He tore himself from Maple and looked at Snake, who stood collectively in front of him. Maple licked his ear affectionately before padding off to Ace and Soot who were keeping Nook on his toes.

"Sure thing, let's do some reviewing first then I'll teach you something new if you have them down." Snake nodded, her whiskers twitching. "Ok, blind me." She leapt up on her hind paws masterfully and 'clawed' at his eyes, claws sheathed, and as he tried to back up and swing to her side, she bounded over blocking him. Snake then swiped her forepaw over his eyes again.

Baylor batted her to the ground, smiling as she rolled to shake off the impact and jumped to her paws. Her eyes were narrowed, concentrating on his muscles. Baylor surged forward and she barely dodged him, clumsily catching herself before she tripped over her own paws. Snake recovered and dashed under his belly, swiping it as she ran. He whipped around with ease, matching her movements step for step. Snake bunched her muscles and jumped left slightly and as he went to meet her she pivoted right and barreling into his shoulder throwing him off balance. He fell back slightly, grunting from surprise. Snake felt a surge of confidence at unbalancing him.

Baylor collected himself and stood up, licking his paw then running it over his ear. "You did well, watch your paws though." Snake shook her pelt, energy pulsating from it.

"But they're so big." Her tail lowered, shamed.

"So were mine, but I grew into them and so will you." He mewed, Snake smiled a little bit. "Now, let's try something new. What do you say?" She nodded eagerly. "Ok, if you're caught fighting two cats you can use this to get the upper paw." Baylor beckoned Nook and Maple to come over. The two cats trotted up to him, Ace and Soot trailing behind.

Baylor arranged them into position, and flicked his tail signaling them to begin. Nook lunged at maple and Baylor naturally took up the rear. She quickly recognized the tactic her mate was teaching and she kicked her back legs up into Baylor's face knocking him back and twisted around and pounced onto Nook's shoulders locking herself into place, before using her weight to flip him over onto his back. Maple leapt out of the way as the tom fell into the dirt.

"Ok Snake, I want you to try that. Think you got it?" Snake stared back at him with wide eyes, and gave a curt nod. Baylor winked at his kit and stepped back, nuzzled Maple, and sat down on his haunches to watch.

Nook trotted up to Snake, the edges of his mouth turning up in a small grin. Snake narrowed her eyes at him, bunching up her muscles as Maple came up behind her. She quickly ran the move through her head, _kick back legs, jump on Nook, and pull him down._

"Begin." The battle experienced tom called out, and Maple lunged at her kit. Snake instinctively jumped forward slightly but quickly caught herself and kicked out her back legs catching her mother in the jaw. The shecat fell back startled, and Nook lurched at Snake. She crouched down on her haunches, forepaws in the air, and lunged onto his narrow shoulders. Snake hooked her claws into his pelt, and Nook winced in pain, before she leaned over making him lose his balance. He toppled to the ground and Snake rolled out from under him, he landed on her tail and she yowled in pain as his spine dug into the thin bone.

"Oh, sorry Snake!" Nook rolled off her tail and she jerked it away holding it close to her body.

"Mouse-Dung! I wasn't fast enough," she flattened her ears against her head in frustration, trying to block out her siblings snickers behind her.

"Snake, when you're fighting you're supposed to keep your tail tucked against your side and out of the way. If you had done that it wouldn't have been caught." Baylor stood up and walked over to his kit, lifting her chin up with his forepaw.

"But I can't balance good when I do that!" She whined, and looked at the ground avoiding his gaze. "I'm just not good at fighting."

"Nonsense, you just need practice. It's hard to balance without your tail, but it's important." Snake sighed and pulled away, she started to trail off but Nook blocked her path, he lowered his muzzle to her level.

"Snake I don't even have a tail to balance with, I was born without one. It took me longer to learn how to walk then most cats, but if you can figure out how to distribute your weight evenly across your paws then you will find that you can fight without one." The young she cat sighed and gave in; she let a small smile slip. Nook bursted in a full on grin, relieved to see her lighten up.

Snake looked over her shoulder to steal a glance at her parents, and noted that Baylor was preoccupied with his mate's teases. Maple had stole a chance to flick her tail across his muzzle making him sneeze, and he was focused on trapping her beneath his hefty paws. Snake turned her attention back to Nook, who was still focused on her.

"Can you teach me a clan cat tactic?" She whispered to him, for whatever reason Baylor had a distaste for them. He thought that they were " _inferior to a BloodClan's strategy"_ but she got it in her head that it would be useful in a confrontation because it would unfamiliar and unexpected. But there was no sense in explaining that to her father, being as strong minded as he was.

Nook's eyes lit up, and he flicked his gaze to Baylor momentarily before darting it back to Snake. "Not now, wait until sunrise tomorrow when Baylor has returned to BloodClan. For now, let's work on your balancing." Snake held back her disappointment, and complied

"Ok," she stood up taller, stretching her forelimb out.

"Ace, Soot! Come here and we'll work on your balancing while I'm at it." Ace looked up from the mouse he was eating, and flicked his eyes to Soot who was grooming her pelt. Ace stared down at his lunch for a moment, he sighed and abandoned the meal. He nudged his sister with his paw to get her attention before padding off to Nook. She ignored him, and continued to lick the tufts back into place.

"Soot you can groom yourself after training, we don't have all day." Nook meowed impatiently to the shecat. Soot mumbled something to herself and stood up.

"Just because I have to fight doesn't mean I have to look unkept." She trotted over, tail held high.

Ace leaned towards Nook, "I don't understand she cats." Nook choked on a laugh, but he forced it down.

"You mean you don't understand Soot, I'm not like that." Snake batted her brother's ear slightly annoyed.

"Whatever." He flashed her a crooked grin, and Snake shook her head in mock disappointment.

"Ok, well when are we going to start?" Soot caught up and stood posted in front of Nook, her pelt neatly groomed.

"How about now, Ace help me dislodge this log here." Nook padded off to a decently sized log which had planted itself near the field.

"Watch how it's done ladies," Ace winked at his sisters as he leapt up. He pranced off after Nook, tail swaying behind him. Snake and Soot looked at each other with confusion before bursting into laughter.

Nook was standing on his hind legs, his forelimbs leaning on the log. Ace followed suit, "on my count push forward and let it fall back then push again," Ace nodded. "1, 2, 3!" Nook and Ace heaved forward, grunting from the strain as the earth started to loosen its hold on the log. In unison, the toms let it fall back and they again pushed forward until the log was easily rocked back and forth.

"Good job, ok Snake, Soot come over here." The two padded over curiously. "Now, hop on the log." Nook waited patiently as Ace jumped on and helped pull Snake up, Soot stood aside until her sister was up and climbed on after. "Tuck your tails in, keep them tucked, and don't fall of." The tom instructed the three, they tucked their tail close to their bodies. Snake looked at him puzzledly; Nook smiled at her as he stood back up on his back legs and leaned against the log. He pushed on it, shifting the log back. Soot gasped in shock, and dug her claws into the wood. "Hang on!" Nook called out, as he rocked it.

Snake focused on keeping her balance, fighting the urge to use her tail.

"Woo, this is fun!" Ace yowled out. Nook chuckled and rocked the log harder, Snake buckled forward slightly as he pushed it back. Ace caught her with his forepaw, and quickly darted it back onto the log before he lost his balance.

"Thanks," she concentrated on the rhythm of the log, evening out her weight amongst her paws.

"No problem," Ace breathed out, focusing on his own balance.

"I think I got it!" Soot confidently lifted a paw up, and then her other leaning back on her haunches. "Ha!"

"Ok that's enough," Nook panted out, and fell back on her forepaws. "That's enough for today, go harass your parents now." He plopped down on the ground, stretched out against the cool dirt.

Soot leapt off and trotted over to Maple who was lying down beside Baylor in the sun. Snake and Ace trailed after her.

"Hey mom can we go to the brook?" Soot looked at her mother hopefully.

"Mmmm, maybe another day. It's getting late how about we head back to the barn. It'll be too cold soon anyways." She stood up and stretched her back, "Nook we're heading back!"

The tom raised his head up, "I'll catch up with you guys later, don't wait on me." He called out, and then rested his head back on his paws.

"Ok!" Maple looked to her mate who was half asleep; she nudged him awake with her paw. "Get Ace to help you with the fresh kill, we need to be heading back." Baylor pried his eyes open, and broke into a yawn as he nodded his head.

"You heard her son, come on." The tom pulled himself up and padded to the prey that was piled up from earlier, he picked the hare and the rabbit up in his jaws and Ace collected the mice. The toms rejoined their family and made their way back to the barn through the moor.

 **Hey, I decided to do illustrations of some of the characters in The Rise of Snake! If you have a specific character you want illustrated please leave it in the review section or PM me, whichever you prefer. I don't know how exactly I'm going to approach these, but it'll most likely be hand drawn (since it's the easiest and quickest way for me) and touched up on my laptop. You can expect to see two characters posted at the end of chapter six. I'm also redoing the cover picture since it's been the same one for a long time. I am taking suggestions on that too so don't be shy! The deadline is December 1** **st** **, and I will have the new one up on New Year's Day.**


	7. I will be ready

**The Rise of Snake: Chapter Six**

 **Characters:**

BloodClan:

Fallen: Leader of BloodClan; tom; an orange cat with black ears, tail and brown tabby stripes, he has a single white paw and green eyes; lanky but muscular

Lost: Deputy of BloodClan; shecat; blue/gray pelt with silver eyes, has only half her tail; small (resembles a main coon)

Leader's Advisors: (They give out advise to the leader and help with the trainers on assessing and placing a new cat)

Diesel: tom; tortoishell of brown, hazel, and white with brown eyes; average but built

Broken: tom; pale yellow and white tabby with a broken tail tip from a battle long ago, has blue eyes; large

The Guards of BloodClan:

Cathair: Advisor of the guard; tom; dark brown pelt with gray paws and spots along his back and tail, his chest and underbelly are white and he has bright green eyes; massive, but hunched over

Baylor: Captain of the Guard and son of Cathair; tom; white pelt with a gray spot on his neck, back, and flank, he has brown paws and ears. He also has one black spot overlapped by the gray one on his shoulder, his eyes are a bright green; massive and muscular

Hail: trainer; tom; Brown with black spots and silver flecks; large

Sleet: trainer; shecat; silver tabby with one black paw and gray eyes; petite

Fang: trainer; tom; a brick red with a white chest and brown eyes; lanky

Titan: trainer; tom; calico, has ice colored eyes; massive

Jasper: tom; Black and white tabby with turquoise eyes; bulky and decently sized

Jagged: tom; brother of Jasper; Gray and black tabby cat with a white streak that goes down his muzzle, has sky blue eyes; also bulky and decently sized

Owl: shecat; dark and light brown tabby, has a black line that stretches down her back; small

Rose: shecat; sister of Rose; a yellow shecat with a red hue and a white chest and paws, she has green eyes; petite

Fox: shecat; sister of Rose; orange pelt with a red hue, has white paws and a black tipped tail, also has deep green eyes; petite

Willow: shecat; light gray shecat with a dark gray face and back, fades out into a silver under belly and she has hazel eyes; large

Quake: tom; all black with yellow eyes; massive

Stitch: tom; gray with one black paw and crimson eyes, got his name after he was caught by the cutter and released neutered; large

Frostbite (Frost): tom; brother to Ghost and Smoke; silver body with white tipped paws and nose, has ice blue eyes; lanky

Smoke: shecat; sister to Frostbite and Ghost; smoke brindled with a pale gray, has a white chest and tipped ears, also has gray eyes; small

Ghost: tom; brother to Smoke and Frostbite; pure white with a silver tipped tail and ears, gray eyes with flecks of ice blue; large but lanky

Wander: tom; brown and black tabby with a white chest and has orange eyes; massive with lean build

Vic: tom; ginger and brown marbled, has a white muzzle and rings under his eyes; small

Wolf: shecat; Persian cat with a silver and brown pelt, has blue eyes; built but short

Shade: tom; red with a darker red belly and brown eyes; average

Nettle: shecat; sister to Havoc; Siamese, has blue eyes; petite but tall

Havoc: tom; Siamese, has blue eyes; massive

Titus: tom; long black pelt with a red-ish hue, has a white chest, paws, and tipped tail with pale green eyes, large and built (recruit)

Fade: shecat; tawny short coat with a dark brown mask on her face, legs, ears, and tail. Has a white chest with bright sea blue eyes; average and lean, has a longer tail than most (recruit)

BloodClan Cats:

Mags: shecat; a light brown tabby cat with a bobbed tail and strange purple eyes; average and lanky

Butler: tom; deep gray undercoat with a black overcoat (deep gray coat catches in the sun), and a single white paw and light yellow eyes; large and lanky with some build

Salem: tom; pitch black pelt with a gray paw and red spot on his tail and back, has one red tipped ear, has bright green eyes; large and built; mate to Harper

Luke: tom; white with black ears and tipped tail, has bright green eyes, average

Murk: tom; shaggy gray coat with white paws, has light blue eyes; stocky

Harper: shecat; mahogany red with a white face and underbelly, has a black spot over her left eye and on her right forepaw, has tawny eyes; average; mate to Salem

Rogues:

Blue: tom; silver gray cat with dark gray rings around his eyes and a black patch on his face, has stunning blue eyes; large and lean

Thatcher: tom; dark brown pelt with a sandy brown chest and paws, has white stripes on his face with brown eyes; large and built

Macie: shecat; light golden pelt with a yellow underbelly and light brown ears and tipped tail, has light blue eyes; average and lean

Posy: shecat; white with cream ears and tail, had a black muzzle and bright green eyes; carrying kits; average and lean

Maple: shecat; a deep mahogany pelt with golden swirls, a white chest, muzzle, paws, and tail with one red spot at the end of it. She has soft blue eyes; petite with long legs

Snake: shecat, daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long golden pelt with darker golden/mahogany swirls, a white chest, paws, underbelly, underside of tail and tip of tail. Also has bright green and lively eyes with silver woven into them and dark brown ears; petite with long legs

Ace: tom, son of Baylor and Maple; has a thick dark brown pelt that darkened into a black as it neared his belly and down his legs, his face is black with dark brown tabby markings strewn across it, has a single white paw and soft blue eyes; Massive like his father

Soot: shecat; daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long silvery smoke pelt with dark gray paws and tipped tail, has white tipped ears and muzzle and a dark gray spot on her shoulder like her father's, one eye is soft blue and the other a green; petite with long legs

 **Cats from the Past:**

Kronos: Previous Deputy of BloodClan; tom; had a sleek tan pelt speckled with black spots, and a single white toe on his left paw, ice blue eyes; descendent of Scourge (his father's grandfather was Scourge's brother aka Quince); massive and built

Vito: rogue; tom; had a typical brown tabby pelt but unusual eyes, one was orange and the other brown; average and lanky

FeatherMist: descendent of the Clans; shecat; had a sleek water tight silver pelt with light gray markings and soft white undertones, her paws, chest, and the tip of her tail were snow white, she had light blue eyes; petite

Snow: Cathair's mate and Baylor's mother; guard; pure white fur with no markings; had blue eyes; petite

 **Heads up, this has a scene that may disturb some readers and I want to apologize in advance for Cathair's story and the events coming up, but don't leave because it gets a whole lot better. All of this is needed and will make sense later in the plot. Trust me, anywho thanks for being so awesome!**

 _Cold, why so cold!_ A silhouette of a small cat, outlined by the Harvest moon, ran across the moor, which was freshly decorated with white powder. Her breath turned into a fog as she heaved out into the frigid air. Her lungs burned, and her eyes watered from the unforgiving wind that whipped at them. _Almost there!_

The shecat lengthened her stride until she felt the tendons strain from the effort. The frost bit at her ears and nose, and if it wasn't for the way her muscles burned she would be chilled to the core. Almost as if to test her, the sky started to produce small white flakes. She ignored the cold sting of the flakes when they ensnared themselves into her long pelt. _"Remember to keep your back straight but arch your flank before you push off, it'll give you more speed and endurance."_ The voice ran clearly throughout her head. She concentrated on her next stride, collecting her hind paws beneath her and thrusting off launching herself forward. Her spine ached from the effort to remain straight as every instinct told her to collapse into the deceiving blanket beneath her paws.

 _"Don't stop, even when you feel like you can't take another step. Keep going, push past that. If you break this barrier then nothing can hold you back."_ She could recall her mentor's words, echoing through her mind.Her legs threatened to betray her, everything was telling her to stop. _No!_ She inwardly yowled, refusing to give into temptation. Her spirit and determination outranked her body's limits, and she felt like she was flying. Her paws, numb from the bitter cold, barely touched the ground as she glided across frozen dirt. Her hind claws extended for more traction, pulsating her forward even more so. Soon, the screaming of her muscles dulled to a low moan.

She took in the sky above her, deep blue with bright stars that gave it life. The moon, being a Harvest Moon, was unusually big and bright. The scene was enrapturing, and a thought flashed across her mind like lightening in a storm. _Who's up there?_

A bitter wind tore across the moor, battering at her pelt with little mercy and she snapped back into focus. An old rotting log loomed up ahead, its height standing taller than she. The shecat raced towards the log fearlessly, then skidded right before coiling her muscles up to make the leap. She pushed off hurtling over the log almost effortlessly, and as soon as her paws met the stone cold earth again she continued to slice through the crisp blades without so much as pausing to breathe.

Her heart pounded within her breast, pumping as much oxygen to her muscles as it could manage. Her senses were on fire, nothing escaped her notice. Not the faint gleam of a rabbits eyes that huddled beneath a bush as she ran by, or the Night Hawk that flew from the shelter of the trees several foxlengths in the opposite direction. Not even the mouse shifting beneath the hardened ground snuggled in its warm burrow. She was filled with a peace that wasn't common to her; she almost felt one with the wind and the stars above.

Up ahead, she could trace the silhouette of another cat, alone and waiting at the edge of the forest. He sat patiently beneath the canopy of the trees that shielded him from the snow. Her muscles, despite her long pelt, rippled beneath her frame. _You won't fool me this time_. The shecat grinned as she neared, preparing to meet the tom head on.

She braced herself to collide with him, running tactics through her head. She was so close, her eyes brightened with determination as she pelted the last few tail lengths. The tom jumped up and redirected his paws to bolt away, eluding her grasp. _What?!_ She hissed in frustration, and dashed after him in the forest.

The tom masterfully dodged briars, tree roots, branches, and anything that most any cat would trip over. From experience, the she cat ran after him, weaving through the entangled woods just as easily as he did. Her small frame gave her an advantage over his bulkier one, and she gained ground over him. The tom glanced behind him, gasping in shock. He swerved sharply to the right, in the direction of the Twoleg dens. Her eyes widened in shock, _No, not there!_ She hesitantly swiveled after him.

The tom showed no intention of changing paths as he leapt over a small white fence, which surrounded the Twoleg's territory. The shecat forced her muscles to abide to her will, as she flew over it. Her mind began to fog, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to keep up this much longer. The tom crossed the Twoleg's territory and scaled up a small cherry tree that was left naked due to the change of seasons. He leapt off of it and landed on the Twoleg Den's roof, and made haste to disappear behind the building to StarClan knows where. The she cat refused to be deterred and launched herself onto the tree, hooking her claws into the bark and scaling it as fast as she could manage. She didn't hesitate to leap off its familiar feel onto the strange tar like surface, in pursuit of the tom. She reached the other end, where she last caught sight of him. _Once I catch you I'll make you pay._ The place left her feeling unnerved; she knew she was dangerously close to BloodClan territory. _Why here, of all places!_

She didn't want to pause, knowing that once she did it would be hard to continue. But as she couldn't catch sight of him she was forced to concentrate on her breathing so that she could manage to scent him. Her lungs screamed from the effort as she delayed breath to them, but her efforts were futile as the scent of the twolegs drowned out his own. After a moment, she caught a faint trace of the tom; he had jumped down into the alleyway. She then leapt off from her perch to a window sill below, then onto the paved alleyway beneath that. Her paws began to unthaw as the pavement was slightly warmer than the snow, and it left her feeling drained as the dull moan began to return. She pushed it back, and concentrated on following the scent back out to the moor.

The shecat sent a silent thanks to StarClan and trotted onto the welcoming plains _._ She flicked her tail, staring off into the moor. The blades were slightly parted, and she quickly padded up to it inhaling his scent. She began at a steady lope, slightly giving in to her body's demands. The scent lead her to a ditch, and as she neared it the tom leaped out from the brush barreling into her.

She yowled with annoyance and rolled beneath him, gathering her hind paws beneath his abdomen shoving him off before he had a chance to pin her against the ground. Her every being protested when she forced herself up onto her sore paws. The tom had already made it to his feet, and was charging at her. She hissed at him challengingly, and as he pounced on her she leapt up catching him in the gut with her head.

The tom landed with a thud, and struggled to catch his breath. As soon as the tom was visibly hindered she bounded in and out of his grasp, scoring marks into his pelt. The shecat boldly charged at his throat when he slammed his paw into her cranium knocking her aside. He rolled over onto his paws and leapt on her barely missing her throat with his teeth. The shecat slid out from beneath him and sprung at his throat which he mistakenly left vulnerable. She caught it in her jowls, eyes alit with fire. He fell back, startled to have been outdone. She didn't relinquish her grip on his jugular, teeth taunting him ready to pierce the life that pulsed beneath the skin. He fell limp, defeated.

The shecat released her hold and collapsed onto the ground, her sides heaving trying to meet her lung and heart's demand. Her body was now numb, nerves cut off from the cold and the strain. "I-" she paused to take another breath, "got you, this time." The words were cut short; she couldn't keep up with her heart. It threatened to burst out of her chest.

The tom sat up, hunched over from exhaustion as well, "You're coming along." He managed to force the sentence between his own breaths. They both looked up at each other, grins spread across their faces. "Don't tell your father that I led you that close to BloodClan territory though."

"I- won't." She managed to gain better control of her breathing by this point, and the nerves began to spring back to life, much to her dislike of course. The two sat in silence for several moments longer, content with just taking a moment to rest.

"You've done well with your training. We need to work on your conditioning some more, you almost didn't keep up with me." The tom finally spoke up, voicing his opinion.

"Your not going to make me climb trees again are you?" Snake frowned at the thought. "I mean, I can climb them, but I hate having to jump the branches."

"You hate jumping the branches because you haven't perfected it." Nook began to groom his chest.

"I'm not a squirrel; I'm not supposed to be perfect at that."

"That's why you need to be perfect at it." Snake sighed, she knew there was no use in arguing.

"Nook, do you think FeatherMist would be proud?" The question caught him off guard, and he flinched. Nook cleared his throat and gave his chest a few awkward licks, trying to regain his composure.

"I'm sure she is Snake." It hurt him to talk about his mate, but he swallowed down his pain. The shecat didn't seem to pick up on his discomfort because she continued.

"Have you seen her lately?" Snake perked her ears in interest, eyes trained on him awaiting his response. His ear began to flick, as it did when he thought back to his mate, which was often.

"Actually… no. No, it's been many moons since I've seen her." He cleared his throat again, trying to mask the pain that threatened to spill.

"Maybe she's waiting for something special," Snake remarked. Nook looked at his paws, _something special. Maybe…_

Caterwauls drowned out his commands; Baylor slammed his paw furiously into the camp dirt kicking up more dust into the air. He yowled at Fang as loud as he could muster, his voice shaking the cats around him. The tom easily ignored him, and advanced still at Thatcher. The rogue had swooned the seasoned guard Sleet. Fang was furious, he had claimed her as his, didn't matter whether she agreed or not but he has had his eyes set on her for moons.

Thatcher was easily avoiding the tom's blows, Fang grew more crazed with each empty slash. Thatcher swerved when Fang dove for him and bit into his tail. Fang howled in anger more than pain and he swept his hind paw under Thatcher's legs knocking him to the ground. The tom fell with a thud, and Fang pounced on him, every claw mark was scored with pure hatred and jealousy. Baylor had enough, and he stormed off his perch over the camp. No cat dared show any resistance as he forced his way through the crowd, gritting his teeth.

He quickly reached the middle and fury burned through his pelt. Somehow Thatcher managed to slip out of Fang's grasp and latch himself in a tight battle with the tom, rolling across the camp floor spilling each other's blood howling with rage and loath. Baylor dared to look up to see Sleet, mouth gaped open in shock. _Stupid crow food!_ The Captain of The Guard rushed in and grabbed which ever cat he could manage and pried the tom away from the other. Fang writhed out of his grasp and dared to charge at Thatcher who still laid on the dirt. Baylor caught his flank with unforgiving reinforced claws and yanked him back. Fang screeched with unrelenting hatred and turned to attack who ever held him back. Baylor bashed his paw against his head sending him to the ground.

Fang stared up at Baylor with a fire that would've consumed most any cat. Baylor snarled a challenge at the tom and braced himself. Fang quickly bounced up and lunged at his Captain's throat. He lowered his head and lurched forward crashing Fang's mandible against his cranium. Fang staggered back in shock, pain blocking his sight. Baylor hooked his forepaws into Fang's cheek and threw him into the ground, and the tom couldn't find it in himself to stand up on his paws. The camp was dead silent, even Smoke didn't risk opening her mouth.

Baylor looked around the camp, ears flattened against his head. Sleet was huddled against Thatcher, who had his tail wrapped boldly around her. Cathair had crawled out of the dog house to see what was going on, Baylor flashed him a glare that told him to get back inside. Being Leafbare, and as old as he was, it wouldn't be hard for the tom to contract something.

Baylor stood high, sweeping his eyes across everyone around him. "If this foolishness continues," he paused to make sure everyone was listening, "you will all be forced to do recruit tasks and I swear to you that I will _personally_ go out of _my_ way to make sure you don't get a moments rest from dawn to dusk. I will make sure that by sunhigh you will feel like you got hit by a monster. Do _not_ test me!" He narrowed his eyes, the fur on his spine bristled making him look even more intimidating than he already was. His attention snapped back down to Fang, and he wrinkled his nose in disgust at the tom. Fang had regained enough strength to lift his head, and his eyes smoldered with pure loath.

"As for you Fang," he bore his gaze into the tom beneath him, "you are relieved of your duties as a Trainer and now demoted to a Guard." Fang's face fell, his eyes widened with shock, he stuttered as if trying to come up with some retort or protest but when nothing flowed out Baylor snickered at the pathetic tom. He turned his attention back to his guards, and after a moment of scanning the crowd his eyes landed on the perfect replacement. "Wolf, step forward." The shecat stared at him for a moment in disbelief, but quickly obeyed. She padded briskly out of the crowd and stopped in front of him, her eyes searching his face. "Wolf will be the new Trainer." His voice rang out clearly, reaching every cat's ears. Titan was the first to yowl his approval, and soon every cat followed behind him. She straightened her posture, head held high taking on her new position. Baylor winked at her and took one more moment to revel in Fang's utter look of shock and humiliation. He didn't bother to muster the chuckled that rumbled from his chest, Fang didn't seem to hear him.

He turned away and padded up to his father who hadn't moved an inch. "I meant for you to go back inside you know." Baylor brushed past him gently, and disappeared into the den. Cathair looked out into the camp and the cats below, a forlorn smile faint on his lips. He soon turned around and hobbled into the den after his son.

"Since when do I take orders from you?" He croaked, laying across from his son. Baylor sighed and shook his head. "Exactly." Cathair choked the word out, his throat stung and he tried to clear it out and he visibly winced in pain.

"You ok father?" Baylor eye's clouded with worry, and he began to notice how feeble the tom had begun to look. It's not like he didn't look poor in the first place, he did, but age was now more evident than ever.

"Just the cold nagging at me like it has for seasons." Cathair forced the words out, putting on a lopsided smile. He broke into a series of coughs, the kind that began as a hack but ended in a wheeze and over again in a viscous cycle.

Worry etched Baylor's face, "I'll fetch you some water." Without giving the chance for Cathair to complain he dashed out of the den. Before long he returned with a mouthful of soaked moss. He placed it carefully at the elder's paws, and waited patiently for him to lap it up. Cathair stared at him blankly, and didn't move to take a drink. "The point of me getting this water was for you to drink it, you know."

"I don't need it, I'll stop by the creek later if I want to." The stubborn tom rested his muzzle on his paws.

"You do need it, and you will lap it all up," Baylor shot his father a look that clearly said he was serious. Cathair sighed in defeat; he didn't have the energy to fight.

"You're just like Snow," he bent down and lapped at the water. Baylor froze, and he thought back to his mother, white as snow and just as stunning. Everything about her was, and forever will be, perfect. Baylor stared down at his paws, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat. One day, she had disappeared and Cathair refused to tell him why. Viper was devastated, though she never showed it. It wasn't long after when she let her cockiness get the best of her, and she was left handicapped for two sunrises before he relieved her of her suffering. Baylor studied his father, who was still lapping at the moss.

"You never told me what happened…" he gently pressed his father. Cathair flicked an ear in response, but said nothing. "Please tell me, I need to know." Cathair stopped lapping the water, and glanced up at his son.

"You're too young," the tom uttered his pathetic excuse. He looked back down at the moss, and poked at it with a claw disinterestedly. Whatever happened, Baylor could tell it still affected the elder to this day.

"I'm no longer a kit, and I hold the position of Captain of the Guard in BloodClan. I deserve to know." Baylor sat tall, curiosity tearing at his mind. Cathair sighed, and sat up to meet his son's gaze. Baylor noticed that Cathair's spine had curved with age, and he was no longer taller than him.

"Fine, I will tell you. Bone knows how much longer I have left anyways." A sudden hardness passed of Cathair's features, and for a moment he looked like the cat he used to be. "Snow had given birth to you and your sister, after moons of me fretting over her." A smile played at his lips as he thought back to happier times. "Reaper allowed me to spend a few sunrises with her before having me return to my duties and he moved her to that hollow just outside of camp. She didn't like the idea, but she coped with it and focused on rearing you guys. It wasn't long before you two opened your eyes and ears to the world, and became a paw full. You got into all kinds of trouble, you don't remember this but you had once found yourself in the way of Kronos." Cathair paused for a moment to see if Baylor could recall the cat, and after a moment his eyes brightened with recognition.

"The deputy before Fallen… didn't yo-"Cathair raised his tail to silence him, and cleared his throat again before continuing on.

"He stumbled over you, and fell into a tree. It wouldn't have been that big of a deal but a branch tore into his eye. He immediately lost sight on his left side, and he turned on you ready to strike you down with a simple slash being as small as you were. Snow heard his yowl of pain, and she described it as a gut wrenching feeling that struck her and she knew you were in danger, and she raced to where it came from. Right before he brought his claws down on you she barreled him out of the way howling with a mother's fury. He toppled to the ground, which was rare being as massive as he was. He took pride in that too, and I assume being knocked over by a kit, its mother, and losing sight in one of his eyes in the same day was too much. He leapt to his paws ready to slaughter her for hurting his pride, and he would have if I didn't come rushing in." He closed his eyes softly, a shudder passed through him. "But I had left my post to aid her. I remember not even thinking, going exclusively by instinct, I tackled the tom into the ground and shredded him. Reaper eventually showed up and pulled us apart, pissed that almost my whole family had attacked his deputy." Cathair grinned at the thought, light slowly coming back to the elder's worn eyes.

"So I was given recruit responsibilities for the next moon, and Snow and our kits were forbidden to leave the hollow and the area around it. That wasn't enough for Kronos though; he wanted some ones blood spilled as payment for his eye, and his pride. Scourge's blood flowed through his veins, and by the way the tom acted you'd think the devil dwelled within his soul. He knew he couldn't get away with it, so he found some rogue who had resided outside of our territory in an old twoleg's den. The rogue knew of a strange diseased creature that was contained by the twolegs that lived a few dens down. He suggested that, for a price of course, he could release the creature onto Snow at night and she would suffer the way it was, a slow descend into madness." Baylor sucked in a breath of air, the streets would whisper of such a disease. Mothers used it to keep their kits in line, claiming that "it will come for you if you don't_." Fill in the blank.

Cathair's head hung from his sagging shoulders, Baylor could barely catch the void that had begun to pool in his gaze. Cathair sucked in a deep breath, mustering any strength he could find in him to continue. "Kronos agreed to the rogue's demands, I never did find out what Kronos had promised him but reason has led me to believe that the rogue was to be secured as BloodClan's next deputy. So one particular cold night, Snow had just left my den to return to her assigned one. I would've stayed with her- but it was against Reaper's demands. If I had known…" The elder trailed out in thought, "If I had known I would've stayed with her. Protected her, but I didn't. The rogue, who went by Vito, somehow managed to release the creature from its cage. He led the creature through the streets to the hollow without being mauled. The animal chased him into your den, Vito escaped once it directed its attention on Snow. She must've been barely asleep when she woke to its hot breath on her neck, and as any good mother should she hid you two in the far corner of the den as she stood in between the beast and her kits. Unable to comprehend what reason was the beast charged at her with one thing on its mind, kill. Her yowl jolted me from my dreams, and by the time I reached the den it was too late." Cathair's voice wavered, and he broke into a series of racking coughs before continuing on.

"The beast had her in its jowls as she thrashed clawing at anything she could reach. Her beautiful white fur was stained red, and hung in strips. No matter what she did the creature, presumably once a fox but now unrecognizable, kept its jaws clamped. I have never seen the disease before, but an old cat once told me that if I was to ever come across such a thing that I would need to kill it immediately, but to avoid its bite. The maddened fox didn't seem to notice me as I slipped under it and bit down on its throat until it was too late. It became racked with shudders as it choked on its own blood and froth, before falling dead. Only then did it release its hold on Snow, and she rolled out of its mouth. The only sign of life was her breath that came in quick gasps. I tended to her immediately, patching what I could. She didn't smile at me like she usually did, but instead demanded that I look for you and your sister. I found you where she left you, in the corner. After making sure you guys were ok I went back to her side, and she had pulled herself up on her chest, hind legs stretched out behind her." Baylor had his eyes trained on Cathair, emotions tearing inside him like a tornado.

"I thought that, she might live. She had a light in her eyes, which contrasted her condition. I moved her to my den, after cleaning her up. I tended to her every need for about half a moon. Miraculously, she had begun to recover. Her wounds were healing slowly but surely, thanks to Mags's herbs. Mags warned me that time would catch up on me, that the inevitable will come. I pretended I didn't know what she was talking about. But the day came when reality came flooding in like a tsunami. I had come back in from a patrol and found you and Viper huddling together outside of the den, trembling in fear. I asked what was wrong, but you couldn't put it into words so I ran in. The sight that was laid before me still haunts me to this day, she was dragging her head on the ground, the froth pooling out of her mouth and wetting the ground. The sickness had begun to take over her mind, and when she saw me and when our eyes met, I no longer saw Snow in them. I only saw empty darkness, the disease, that had consumed her. When she charged at me-" Cathair's voice cracked and focused on controlling his breathing before he looked up at his son, grief and guilt pooling out of his eyes. "I slashed her throat open. After that, I took you two to the stream as a few of my guards removed her from camp and buried her for me, taking time in cleaning up the poisoned froth and innocent blood that was spilled in my den."

Baylor sat in silence, his legs faltered and he crumpled onto the ground, his eyes focused on something that wasn't actually there. Slowly, the pieces began to fall in place, why Cathair had killed Kronos and a new recruit shortly after his sister died. Why Reaper nearly kicked him out of the clan, and was so hostile to Viper.

"It's a horrible thing, to live here." The elder whispered solemnly to no one in particular. Baylor barely caught his next words as he tried to mull over his mother's death, "but there is no place more fitting for a cat who is condemned to hell."

The next morning seemed to take its time, father and son had quietly mourned together all through the night. The light from the dawn casted itself onto Baylor's face, and he forced his paws to lead him out to camp. Today was an important day, and he couldn't let his own feelings hold him back.

He loomed over the camp, his eyes taking in the golden sand that glistened from the sun. He switched his gaze to the dens on the outskirts of the camp, which was basically a large groove carved into the clay walls, and looked for the cats that slept peacefully in them. _Well, we have to change that_ , he thought to himself.

"Get up you lazy sacks of bones; don't you know what day it is?" Baylor caterwauled out into the clearing. Hesitantly the cats stirred, slipping out of their warm dens and fluffing their pelts to trap whatever heat they could as they stepped into the brisk morning air. Among them was the ordinary BloodClan cats, well not ordinary anymore, they were chosen to explore the new territory. After a few minutes every cat, even Fang, stood beneath him, had their attention focused on him. Thatcher made a point to hold Sleet especially close, occasionally sending a triumphant grin to Fang. Smoke, not wanting to be outdone, snuggled into Quake's pelt and his face twisted into a look of detest before he replaced it with a forced faint smile. Fade sat a few cats behind them staring at the shecat with envy.

"Sleet, Wolf, Jagged, Mags, Butler, and Havoc you six are to leave the city today to explore the new territory," Baylor yowled enthusiastically into the crowd. A few cats cheered as they stood up, upon hearing their name. "You are to meet with Fallen as soon as the sun has fully exposed itself. Today, in celebration, there will be no patrols or tasks to complete. As long as you stay in BloodClan territory I don't give a rat's whisker what you do." He looked up at the sky, and saw the sun had peaked from behind the twoleg dens. He turned his attention back to the cats, "before the patrol departs camp I wish to see you." And with a flick of his tail, Baylor padded off the ledge to the entrance of his den.

"Cathair, Baylor: Captain of the Guard, permission to enter," he meowed just outside the den in attempt to lighten his father's spirits. A gruff grunt was all that responded, and he padded in. "I ordered the patrol to come here before leaving for Fallen's den; I thought you'd like to share words with them."

"Yes, thank you." He paused for a moment, "She loved you, you know. One day I hope you find the time to take a mate and have kits of your own." Baylor parted his lips to tell his father that he already had, but he faltered as fear kicked in. Before he could muster the right words Butler cleared his throat signaling that the patrol had arrived. Cathair pulled himself up to shaky paws, and he greeted his old friend along with Mags, the shecat and he shared a knowing glance. He then, out of politeness, meowed a greeting to the remainder of the patrol. Baylor walked out to stand behind his father.

"May Scourge and Bone be with you," he began customarily, "and that you return safely with good news of the new territory. I will be waiting to hear all about the place."

"If you live that long," Mags meowed humouredly at him, and he chuckled. Cathair touched his muzzle to each of their heads, and Baylor stood back in awe, taken aback by the strange action. The patrol then looked at him expectantly, his guards in particular awaited his words. He cleared his throat, and quickly addressed them himself.

"I am lucky to have such cats in and around my ranks, it is an honor to me, as well as a burden for now I have to watch you leave some where unfamiliar, to have known you. May you reach the territory and return from it in one piece." Havoc, Wolf, Sleet, and Jagged beamed from receiving such a rare compliment. Mags smiled at him softly, and Butler dipped his head respectfully, holding Baylor's gaze. Baylor gave him a curt nod, and the tom mouthed a thank you.

"I hate to say this, but the sun has almost fully revealed itself. I do believe we must leave for Fallen's den now," Mags spoke up. With nothing more than a flick of her tail, she led her patrol to the leader's dwelling. Cathair sighed before he turned and padded back into his den to curl up in his nest. Baylor watched the patrol until they faded into the morning fog, and he joined his father who was fighting another series of hacks.

Nook stretched out in his nest, and sighed contently when his nose filled with the familiar scent that reminded him of starry nights and racing through endless fields, _FeatherMist_. He jolted up, _FeatherMist!_ Nook scanned the area around him, and it took him a moment to figure out where he was. He was laid out in a beautiful forest, its foliage decorated with blue-silver dew drops that made it glow, a gentle creek flowed past him. _StarClan!_ His pelt pricked with excitement, and he leapt to his paws hopefully.

"FeatherMist!" He called out, his voice echoing through the trees. Shortly after, a petite starry shecat padded out from in between two ferns, the dew catching on her pelt.

"I'm here, LarkShade. No need to alarm every cat in StarClan." He voice flowed through him like a breeze, and he ran to meet her. She purred when he began to groom her muzzle lovingly.

"Where have you been, I've missed you so much," Nook buried his muzzle into her neck. He inhaled her scent, and she closed her eyes as a tear fell onto his nape.

"You have no idea Nook how much I have wanted to see you." She stepped back to meet his gaze, and he blinked away his emotion.

"Then why didn't you?" the question tumbled from his lips, and he searched her face for an answer.

"You know it's not like that, we can't just visit our loved ones no matter how much we yearn too." FeatherMist meowed at him, longing laced in her tone. Another tear escaped her eyes, and she wiped it away with her forepaw. She met his steady gaze, and a soft cry escaped her as she buried her face into his neck. Nook purred and he began to groom her shoulder like he used to do seasons ago. Moons seemed to flow by before she pulled herself out of his embrace. She stared at him fondly, _"I'm so sorry_ " she whispered.

Before Nook could question her he was plunged into darkness. He found himself face to face with a copper head, coiled up and ready to strike. Recognition hit him; he was familiar with the scene. Like usual a shadow of a cat lurched at him but the snake whipped around and struck the attacker. As soon as its teeth pierced the cats hide a strong breeze blew them away like smoke. Nook looked around, waiting to wake up in his nest. Instead, he found himself staring at Snake, Ace, and Soot.

A brick red tom that he couldn't identify, loomed over them triumphantly. Before Nook could comprehend the scene, he crashed onto the three like a dark wave and swept them away. Nook yowled after them, his voice drowned out by the buzzing in his head. Instantaneously the dark scene was replaced with the intense gaze of a dark gray tom with light yellow eyes that burned like fire. Nook jumped back in shock and shook his head, finding himself in a warm and starry field. _"Like a thundering river all you know will be swept away into darkness. Trust not what lurks in the shadows but what is made from them."_ FeatherMist's sweet voice echoed through his ears. Nook chased after the voice, desperation driving him through the soft field.

"Wait, there has to be more! FeatherMist, wait!" Nook searched the field, and he gasped as he felt his paws slip out from under him. He woke with a start, and recognized the barn walls that shielded him from the snow outside. Nook sighed, questions that were left unanswered swarmed his head and buzzed like bees. Ace's snore pulled him out of his thoughts, and he noticed it was barely dawn.

Nook stood up and stretched, flexing his claws into the hay and moss that made his nest. He shook his pelt, and after grooming his fur flat he padded out of the stuffy barn into the cool morning air. _Wouldn't hurt to collect some more herbs before this snow kills the last of them_ , and with that he padded across the moor, his paw leaving indentions into the thin layer of snow.

The sun had reached its peak, and the snow began to melt from its touch. Baylor parted his jaws in a lazy yawn, his father lapped at another ball of moss he had fetched earlier. While water helped soothe Cathair's cough it didn't do anything to cure it and he'd break into another series of heart wrenching coughs. He looked at his father worriedly; the tom was curled up into a tight ball, content with laying there all day and not saying a word.

 _A run is all I need, won't do anything to sit here with him all day_. Baylor thought to himself, and he arched his back in a stretch before padding out of the den. He took in the scents of the city, if you could call this area the city. It was more like a rundown suburb, the city was father down were Fallen's den was. Baylor began at a lope, warming up and loosening his tense muscles. Before long, he was nearly sprinting along the side walk. The BloodClan cats lowered their heads in respect or hid from him as he passed by. Baylor ignored the cats that called out his name, offering their food in hopes of gaining favor.

He returned, heart light, from his run around the first signs of dusk. "That was an amazing run. Wish you could've come, if it helps any I thought of y-" his words caught in his throat. Cathair was struggling to breathe, as he coughed weakly. "Father!" Baylor rushed to his side, and nudged him with his paw trying to get a reaction from him.

"I'm- fine." Cathair huffed the words out breathily.

"No you're not… I-" An idea struck him, and hope spurred in his chest. "I know a cat, I need you to do your best to walk. I'll support you." Cathair didn't reply, as Baylor pulled him to his paws and leaned him against his shoulder. The weak tom barely moved his paws, and Baylor drug him through a back entrance out to a flattened path in the woods.

"You come through here a lot, son?" Cathair wheezed, genuinely curious. Baylor didn't answer his father and he padded surely between the trees, closer to the moor. The sun had begun to lower itself out of the sky when Baylor stopped at the edge of the forest, and helped Cathair settle down into a makeshift nest of moss and some feathers he had found. He then without a word flew across the moor only slowing down when he caught the scent of Nook.

"Nook!" he yowled out, pausing to listen for an answer. Nothing but the crickets answered his call, "Nook!" Baylor screeched out into the night sky. The scent grew stronger and several moment later the sound of rhythmic paws followed. The tom skidded in front of Baylor, panting heavily.

"What in StarClan's name is so important you had to drag me from my herb gathering," he growled with annoyance.

"It's my father, he's sick. I need you to help me," Baylor stared down into the tom's hardened eyes. Upon seeing the desperation in Baylor's, they softened.

"Ok, let me have a look." Baylor whispered a thanks before charging off back in the direction he came from, leaving Nook to trail behind. He looked back to make sure the tom was following, and slowed down when he realized that Nook had fallen back unable to keep up. Soon enough they reached the elder, who was barely able to lift his head up.

Nook padded over to the tom and sniffed his muzzle, and he stepped back unhopeful. "Its yellowcough."

"Yellowcough?" Baylor mumbled in confusion, fear tugging at his pelt.

"It's like a really bad cold, and difficult to cure. Its' not uncommon in elders, queens, or kits… especially in winter." Nook stated the facts, staring sympathetically at the old tom who had nodded solemnly.

"But you can heal him, right?" Baylor snapped at Nook. The tom bit back a retort, and cleared his throat.

"I can try, I just need to run back to the barn and grab some lungwort."

"I'll go, I'm faster. What does it look like?" Baylor fidgeted, his paws tingling.

"Ok, it's a stem with large leaves and has blue, purple, and pink flowers." The tom dashed off without a word. Nook sighed and bundled some leaves together placing it under Cathair's head, extending his airway making it easier to breathe.

"Just let me die young'n." Cathair rasped out, catching Nook by surprise. "Let me leave this place, let me find peace." The elder closed his eyes, and his sides heaved with exhaustion from the effort of speaking.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Nook whispered lightly. He reopened his eyes; they showed no sign of emotion.

"And why not?" He coughed slightly, and his lungs rattled. Nook stayed silent and the elder took it as a victory and he huffed before closing his eyes again. Nook sucked in his breath, thinking over his next words carefully.

"Because you haven't met you're son's kits yet." The elder jerked his eyes open in shock, and struggled to find words and the strength to form them.

"Don't try to talk, just rest until Baylor returns." Cathair nodded his head, but his mind swarmed with questions. Moments later Baylor bursted through the stalks of grass, jaws heavy with the plant Nook described. He padded briskly up to Nook and dropped them at his paws.

The cat turned his back to Baylor, who was ushering him to hurry. Annoyance swelled up inside him but he chewed the bitter plants silently and spat the poultice onto his paw and smeared it around Cathair's lips. "Eat that," he instructed.

"I don't want to eat some other cat's spit and-" Nook cut him off, and smeared more onto his muzzle. Cathair sighed and lapped it up, shuddering as the bitter juices flowed down his throat. Nook then nudged a few stalks to Baylor and ate a few of his own.

"You want me to eat these?" Baylor shot Nook a confused glare.

"If you don't want to get sick, and then Maple and the kits get sick." Baylor growled at Nook, but ate the bitter plant.

Cathair forced himself to sit up, his thinned pelt shaking. "Don't try and get up, you're sick!" Nook snapped at the elder.

"Don't tell me what to do kit." Cathair grumbled as he steadied himself and stared at his son, waiting for him to meet his gaze.

"Now I know where Baylor gets it from," Nook muttered half to himself. Baylor swallowed his uneasiness as he sat up and struggled not to flinch at his father's hard expression. The two sat in silence, and Nook stood aside awkwardly.

"When were you going to tell me?" The elder's raspy voice broke the silence, and Nook took sudden interest in the left over lungwort. Baylor searched his father's face in confusion before realization flashed through his eyes and his features fell.

"I tried- but"

"But what, didn't trust your old man?" Cathair gritted his teeth, disguising his hurt with anger.

"No! I, uh… I wanted to, I tried, believe me. But it's not safe and you know that, you know Maple is considered a traitor and I couldn't risk her or our kits!" The words tumbled out of Baylor's mouth, as he tried to explain.

"You could've pulled me aside, took me here, something. At least now I know what's been eating you." Cathair coughed, and shifted his gaze to his paws.

"I'm sorry." Baylor thought in silence for a moment, "would you, when its safe, like to meet them?" Cathair continued to stare at his paws, unmoving and silent.

"Tell me about them," he eventually wheezed.

"Well, you already know Maple, kind of. You will love her, she is amazing." His eyes shone with adoration, " Ace is the oldest, a tom. He takes after my build but Snipe's appearance; he is remarkably well at fighting. Sorta like how viper was. Soot is the second oldest and she takes more after me. She has stunning eyes, one a soft blue and the other a piercing green, it suits her. Then there's Snake, who is the smallest and at first we weren't sure if she'd make it but she's a fighter. She takes more after Maple and she is so very clever and adventuress. She was terrible at fighting and hunting starting out, but like me she is turning out as one of the best I think. She's the one who found Nook, funny story." Fondness etched his tone as he went through the list. Nook lifted his head up and gave an awkward smile.

"How old are they?" Cathair raised his head up weakly with a faint scowl on his face. However, his eyes betrayed him revealing the joy he mustered.

"Eight moons in two sunrises," Baylor boasted proudly. Cathair nodded and fell into another coughing fit. Nook padded over, his tail raised commandingly.

"You can talk later when you aren't heaving after every other word." Cathair parted his lips to make a remark but Nook cut off him, "I don't want to hear it. Keep this up and you won't get any better so lay your pelt down and get some rest. We will travel to the barn as soon as you improve." Baylor stared in aghast at the tom, and tensed up preparing for his father's response which he knew, from experience, would not be pleasant. However, Cathair nodded his head in defeat and curled up on the forest floor, staring at Nook with minor annoyance. Baylor's jaw dropped in shock.

"I'm going to collect my other herbs, if they hadn't froze yet, and tell Maple and the kits. Stay here and watch him, I mean seriously watch him. If he is wheezing massage his chest to help open the airways. I'll come back with mint and marigold to help, don't touch the lungwort. You grabbed almost my whole stock and I need it to last." Nook flicked his tail and disappeared into the tall grass, leaving father and son. He padded swiftly back out to his herb pile, which was pitiful and only consisted of juniper berries and shriveled up horsetail. He collected it in his jaws and rolled some moss under his chin, then set off to the barn.

"Nook!" Snake trotted out of the barn to meet him, and briefly touched her nose to his in greeting. "I thought we we're supposed to train today, where were you?" He muffled an inaudible response through the herbs. "I mean you were obviously out collecting herbs but for being out all day that isn't very much. Are we training tomorrow?" Nook sighed, a faint smile traced on his lips.

"There you are, I was starting to worry." Maple leapt down from a hay bale and padded over to her friend, taking the moss from his chin. "About time you got new moss for your nest, I don't know how you can sleep on such a mess." She dropped the bundle by his wheelbarrow.

He padded over to his store of herbs, which was located behind his wheelbarrow in the corner of the barn, sheltered by an old shelf. He placed his herbs in their correct spots.

"Hey Nook can you help me with the thing where I run under a cat and scratch its stomach?" Soot bounded up to him, smiling politely.

"Get mom to help you, he's supposed to work with me," Snake shoved her sister out of the way.

"He always works with you, It's about time he works with me" She stuck her chin up indignantly and flicked her tail across Snake's face. Snake growled, burying the urge to sink her teeth into the it.

"He is supposed to work with me, Soot. You know that." Snake sent her sister an annoyed scowl.

"What makes you so special?" Soot bared her teeth at her sister, clearly agitated. "I know you were born a pathetic kit who could barely suckle, but that's no excuse for leaving Ace and I to scramble after you in a stupid pine tree because we haven't received a whisker of training for it while you've just about perfected it." Her pelt bristled, and her tail lashed madly on the ground. Snake bit back a retort, hurt stinging in her chest. Being born weak was the reason she worked so hard, it wasn't her fault that her siblings couldn't keep up.

"I worked to get here, you were offered to go on a run two sunrises ago but you turned it down because it was cold. There is a reason I can scale a pine tree, and I couldn't count all the wrenched claws I got out of it. Before you accuse me of anything look to your own actions." Snake hissed at Soot, _how dare she_.

Soot growled at Snake and whipped around, stalking off to the entrance way. She shoved Ace out of the way, leaving him confused and dazed. He flashed Snake an addled look, but switched it to Nook seeing that she was fuming, her claws digging into the barn floor. Nook nudged his head towards the entranceway Soot stormed out of, and Ace nodded briskly before padding out after her.

"I wish we could tell her," Snake muttered to Nook. Nook sighed knowingly.

"You know we can't. StarClan doesn't just walk in a cat's dream for them to let every cat know."

"I know, but what do you think it meant… You know, the dream?" She sat on her haunches, clearly troubled by the dream that had plagued her the past few sunrises. It was always the same, she would be running through the moor, following closely after a starry cat she couldn't identify. The cat would lead her into the woods, consumed by a dark fog. Snake would then lose sight of the cat, and when she thought she spotted the StarClan warrior she'd run to him just to find a brick red tom, its face hidden by a shadow. As the tom loomed over her, the scent of death choked her. As this was happening, the words _be prepared, train,_ would ring throughout her head. Right before she woke, Snake would always smell an unrecognizable but comforting scent before the morning pulled her out of her slumber.

"I'm not sure, but we must heed StarClan's warning… You need to be ready for whatever is coming."

"What's coming?" Maple called down from the loft, her head peeking over the edge.

"Oh, Baylor is bringing Cathair when he is able to meet everyone." Nook blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

"Wait, Baylor's Father?" When Nook nodded a confirmation, Maple stiffened.

"This place is a wreck" She twisted around, taking in the tufts of moss and hay that was strewn across the floor. "He can't see this place, when is he coming?"

"Not for at least half a moon, he has yellowcough." A sad expression swept across Maple's face, and she nodded.

"I will get started on fixing this place up, for when he comes. Snake," she waited as her kits ears perked up, listening attentively, "I need you and your siblings to help out so don't try and go on one of your little sessions or whatever it is that you do. At least until this place is looking nice." The shecat nodded, and inwardly sighed. _I need to be training._

"I'll go get Ace and Soot, stay here and help Maple. But you know, I should work with them some more… just to be safe." Nook meowed lightly, just loud enough for Snake to catch. She looked at her paws, _be prepared_ , _be prepared_ , _be prepared_. She didn't have time to clean. By the time she turned her head to voice her opinion, Nook had disappeared.

"What is it you do?" Maple questioned her kit as she balled up some moss pieces.

"Oh, just basic training." Snake padded over to her mother, and started collecting some of the debris alongside her.

"You mean the stuff your father taught you?"

"Something like that," Maple scanned over Snake, then climbed up the loft to tidy up the nest.

"Snake, I don't know what you guys have been doing, but don't think I haven't noticed how fit you have become." Snake cleared her throat, and shrugged in response, upon sensing Maple's gaze.

"I guess it could only do you good, but you better not be doing anything dangerous. The only reason I have been batting an eye is because I trust Nook." Snake thought back to when Nook first took her to the gorge, a lengthy run from the moor, to sharpen her swimming skills. She nearly drowned, saved by a log she managed to grab onto. This was only one of thefew times her and her siblings have risked their lives, under Nook's instruction. But it paid off, as much as she detested doing have the exercises he made her do. _I will be ready_ , she told herself.


	8. The Final Departure

**The Rise of Snake: Chapter Seven**

 **Characters:**

BloodClan:

Fallen: Leader of BloodClan; tom; an orange cat with black ears, tail and brown tabby stripes, he has a single white paw and green eyes; lanky but muscular

Lost: Deputy of BloodClan; shecat; blue/gray pelt with silver eyes, has only half her tail; small (resembles a main coon)

Leader's Advisors: (They give out advice to the leader and help with the trainers on assessing and placing a new cat)

Diesel: tom; tortoishell of brown, hazel, and white with brown eyes; average but built

Broken: tom; pale yellow and white tabby with a broken tail tip from a battle long ago, has blue eyes; large

The Guards of BloodClan:

Cathair: Advisor of the guard; tom; dark brown pelt with gray paws and spots along his back and tail, his chest and underbelly are white and he has bright green eyes; massive, but hunched over

Baylor: Captain of the Guard and son of Cathair; tom; white pelt with a gray spot on his neck, back, and flank, he has brown paws and ears. He also has one black spot overlapped by the gray one on his shoulder, his eyes are a bright green; massive and muscular

Hail: trainer; tom; Brown with black spots and silver flecks; large

Sleet: trainer; shecat; silver tabby with one black paw and gray eyes; petite

Fang: trainer; tom; a brick red with a white chest and brown eyes; lanky

Titan: trainer; tom; calico, has ice colored eyes; massive

Jasper: tom; Black and white tabby with turquoise eyes; bulky and decently sized

Jagged: tom; brother of Jasper; Gray and black tabby cat with a white streak that goes down his muzzle, has sky blue eyes; also bulky and decently sized

Owl: shecat; dark and light brown tabby, has a black line that stretches down her back; small

Rose: shecat; sister of Rose; a yellow shecat with a red hue and a white chest and paws, she has green eyes; petite

Fox: shecat; sister of Rose; orange pelt with a red hue, has white paws and a black tipped tail, also has deep green eyes; petite

Willow: shecat; light gray shecat with a dark gray face and back, fades out into a silver under belly and she has hazel eyes; large

Quake: tom; all black with yellow eyes; massive

Stitch: tom; gray with one black paw and crimson eyes, got his name after he was caught by the cutter and released neutered; large

Frostbite (Frost): tom; brother to Ghost and Smoke; silver body with white tipped paws and nose, has ice blue eyes; lanky

Smoke: shecat; sister to Frostbite and Ghost; smoke brindled with a pale gray, has a white chest and tipped ears, also has gray eyes; small

Ghost: tom; brother to Smoke and Frostbite; pure white with a silver tipped tail and ears, gray eyes with flecks of ice blue; large but lanky

Wander: tom; brown and black tabby with a white chest and has orange eyes; massive with lean build

Vic: tom; ginger and brown marbled, has a white muzzle and rings under his eyes; small

Wolf: shecat; Persian cat with a silver and brown pelt, has blue eyes; built but short

Shade: tom; red with a darker red belly and brown eyes; average

Nettle: shecat; sister to Havoc; Siamese, has blue eyes; petite but tall

Havoc: tom; Siamese, has blue eyes; massive

Titus: tom; long black pelt with a red-ish hue, has a white chest, paws, and tipped tail with pale green eyes, large and built (recruit)

Fade: shecat; tawny short coat with a dark brown mask on her face, legs, ears, and tail. Has a white chest with bright sea blue eyes; average and lean, has a longer tail than most (recruit)

BloodClan Cats:

Mags: shecat; a light brown tabby cat with a bobbed tail and strange purple eyes; average and lanky

Butler: tom; deep gray undercoat with a black overcoat (deep gray coat catches in the sun), and a single white paw and light yellow eyes; large and lanky with some build

Salem: tom; pitch black pelt with a gray paw and red spot on his tail and back, has one red tipped ear, has bright green eyes; large and built; mate to Harper

Luke: tom; white with black ears and tipped tail, has bright green eyes, average

Murk: tom; shaggy gray coat with white paws, has light blue eyes; stocky

Harper: shecat; mahogany red with a white face and underbelly, has a black spot over her left eye and on her right forepaw, has tawny eyes; average; mate to Salem

Rogues:

Maple: shecat; a deep mahogany pelt with golden swirls, a white chest, muzzle, paws, and tail with one red spot at the end of it. She has soft blue eyes; petite with long legs

Snake: shecat, daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long golden pelt with darker golden/mahogany swirls, a white chest, paws, underbelly, underside of tail and tip of tail. Also has bright green and lively eyes with silver woven into them and dark brown ears; petite with long legs

Ace: tom, son of Baylor and Maple; has a thick dark brown pelt that darkened into a black as it neared his belly and down his legs, his face is black with dark brown tabby markings strewn across it, has a single white paw and soft blue eyes; Massive like his father

Soot: shecat; daughter of Baylor and Maple; a long silvery smoke pelt with dark gray paws and tipped tail, has white tipped ears and muzzle and a dark gray spot on her shoulder like her father's, one eye is soft blue and the other a green; petite with long legs

 **Felicity's Cats:**

Brumous: tom; Felicity's representative- her right hand man; a light grey pelt with darker grey patches, has white ears and a white muzzle, also has silver eyes; large, toned, and wiry

Blue: tom; silver gray cat with dark gray rings around his eyes and a black patch on his face, has stunning blue eyes; large and lean

Thatcher: tom; dark brown pelt with a sandy brown chest and paws, has white stripes on his face with brown eyes; large and built

Macie: shecat; light golden pelt with a yellow underbelly and light brown ears and tipped tail, has light blue eyes; average and lean

Posy: shecat; white with cream ears and tail, has a black muzzle and bright green eyes; average and lean

Amarathine: shecat; Posy's kit; a soft white with light blue eyes and a silver gray stripe that runs down her back, as well as a dark gray spot on her chest and the tip of her tail

 **Cats from the Past:**

Kronos: Previous Deputy of BloodClan; tom; had a sleek tan pelt speckled with black spots, and a single white toe on his left paw, ice blue eyes; descendent of Scourge (his father's grandfather was Scourge's brother aka Quince); massive and built

Vito: rogue; tom; had a typical brown tabby pelt but unusual eyes, one was orange and the other brown; average and lanky

FeatherMist: descendent of the Clans; shecat; had a sleek water tight silver pelt with light gray markings and soft white undertones, her paws, chest, and the tip of her tail were snow white, she had light blue eyes; petite

Snow: Cathair's mate and Baylor's mother; guard; pure white fur with no markings; had blue eyes; petite

A dark figure lurked in the shadows, his green eyes peering out from behind a trash bin. He flexed his claws nervously, _what was taking her so long?_ He flashed a glance to the silver-gray cat next to him, but quickly switched it back to the alley way when the tom pinned his ears back impatiently. The tom mumbled something under his breath, and began to lash his tail.

"Titus, is she coming or not? We can't stay around here much longer." Titus glanced up at the sky, and realized that the tom was right, a patrol should be coming by soon. The moon, the shape of a sharp cat's claw, was near its peak.

"She's coming, just another moment Blue." He reassured him, and received a growl in response. A cold breeze swept through the city, chilling the hot tempered cat's fur. Soon enough, a small blue gray shecat came bounding out of the alley way, panting heavily from the run.

"About time," Blue grumbled as he slid out from the trash bin and started off at a brisk walk to meet the others. "Let's go, and hurry before we run into a patrol." The shecat nodded, and flashed a gentle smile at Titus.

"Does Fallen know you're gone?" Titus trotted after Blue, Lost padding after him lightly.

"I'm pretty good at getting around unnoticed, he won't miss me." She answered confidently, speeding up her pace, brushing pelts as she passed him. His fur grew warm, contrary to the bitter winter weather, and he quickly picked his pace up to match her step for step.

Blue led them into the woods, near the abandoned building. Without pause he started off at a steady lope up the hill where Baylor had allegedly defeated the rogues a few seasons ago. He sped down the hill into a vacant camp, Lost and Titus trailing after him, to join a small group of cats.

A golden shecat, named Macie, jumped up and touched muzzles to him, meowing a greeting and Blue purred softly. "Thought you were caught by the patrol for a minute there buddy, we were worried." Thatcher commented as he stood up from the group and joined Macie, by his friend's side.

"You think a patrol could catch me?" Blue snickered at the thought, and Thatcher batted him playfully. Blue rolled his eyes and scanned the clearing, after a moment a look of confusion formed in his brows, "where's Brumous?"

"Wait, Brumous?" Lost nudge in between the trio, and flashed Blue a heated glare. "You mean where's Felicity, that's the cat I risked my pelt to see, not some 'Brumous'!" she spat angrily in his face. Blue narrowed his eyes at her, his pelt bristling.

He parted his jaws to address her, but a deep voice spoke up before he could. "No one gets to Felicity without first getting through me, got a problem?" The group turned their heads to acknowledge a large cat that walked commandingly into the camp.

Lost pinned her ears back, "yes, I do actually. Do you know who I am tom?" Titus laid his tail across her flank in a poor attempt to calm her down, she shook it off and took a step forward and lashing her docked tail.

"The question is," the tom strolled confidently across the camp, "do you know who _I_ am?"

"I presume you're none other than the _legendary_ Brumous, here to honor me with your _noble_ presence." She stalked up and stared defiantly into his face, gritting her teeth.

"That's right." He coolly meowed, "now-"

"Well I am the deputy of BloodClan, and I will not be brushed aside like some mewling kit." She spat in his face. Brumous cleared his throat, and narrowed his eyes warningly.

"Then don't act like one." Lost growled, but before she could retort he walked past her.

"Blue, these two are the cats you told me about?" Blue nodded briskly, "well then, _now_ that we are done with introductions let's get down to business." Lost growled deep in her chest, her fur ruffling up.; she rejoined Titus, pressing up against his massive frame and staring coldly at Brumous.

The cats looked to Brumous, waiting for his words. "Many seasons of work and preparation has been leading up to a moment we will soon reach," he lifted his chin up pride fully as the cats around him meowed in excitement. "We are now a whisker away from having the number, force, and cunning to over throw BloodClan. For countless seasons cats have been unjustified, slaughtered, and left to waste away, but thanks to our noble and worthy leader- Felicity,"

"Hail Felicity," the cats, excluding Titus and Lost, meowed in unison.

"We will bring an end to this wretched disease, this virus that has seeped into the earth and infected any cat who laid a paw to the soil. It soon will be our time to rise up and run the streets red with BloodClan blood! It is our responsibility, and some our right," he looked to Lost knowingly; she turned her head, "to avenge ourselves and others for being wronged." Brumous gathered himself and leapt onto a boulder that jutted out of the ground, he stood proudly at the top staring down at the cats below him. "So brothers, sisters, I implore you to prepare yourselves, in Felicity's honor-

"Hail Felicity"

"-to prepare for battle, to bring back order, prosperity, and peace to our lives." He settled his gaze on lost and Titus, "Do you two swear to our cause, and to be loyal to Felicity and abandon your roots as BloodClan filth?"

"I swear my loyalty to Felicity," Titus stood up, his tail held high in confidence. Lost looked at her paws silently, and after a moment she met Brumous's gaze. He met it coolly, waiting her response. She sighed and glanced back in the direction of her Clan, her kithood and seasons of work to get where she is now is as part of her as the water is to the river; but Fallen flashed through her mind like a tsunami, followed by a cold shutter and a sense of panic, and her head fell in utter defeat.

"I swear my loyalty to Felicity," Lost looked up, her gaze hardened, "and to abandon my roots." Brumous dipped his head before whipping back around to face the others.

"Now, to honor their oath with blood, if you will Blue." The tom stood up, and walked over to Lost and Titus. He grinned as he flexed his claws in the sodden dirt beneath him. "Reveal your right pads," Brumous instructed them. Titus flipped his over without hesitation, and Lost quickly followed example.

"It's not that bad," Blue snickered, and he sliced Titus's pad open. He grunted in pain as Blue moved to do Lost's. He flexed his claw, wet from Titus's blood, and sliced hers open as well. Her gaze did not waver as a small stream of blood flowed out from the torn pad.

"It is done, welcome Titus and Lost. I feel confident you will be of great service to our cause," Brumous stared at Lost thoughtfully.

"Welcome Titus and Lost," the cats meowed warmly.

"You two will stay stationed in Blood Clan, with Blue's group. You will follow his orders, and report to him any new information you have received… And, Lost- you especially must report anything, being the Deputy," she nodded.

Brumous leapt down from the boulder, landing masterfully with a soft 'thud', despite his stature. Lost stood up briskly "wait- when will I meet Felicity?" He stifled an annoyed growl, and quickly replaced it with amusement.

"You will meet her in time, everyone does." Lost flattened her ears in aggravation, he turned away from the shecat before she could say anything else and padded up to a cluster of his brethren. Brumous's eyes lingered on a beautiful white shecat, with a black muzzle, creamed colored ears, and stunning green eyes.

"Posy, how are the kits?" He meowed unemotionally, forcing down any feeling that churned within his breast. Behind his fixed expression, curiosity plagued his mind.

"Kit, the other was stillborn. And missing her father," She met his tone. Brumous sighed, and shook his head.

"She doesn't have a father, what happened… you know I didn't mean for this. As Felicity's representative and command I can't be a father. " He forced the words off his tongue.

"I understand, but none the less it did." She stalked off, back to her stationed camp in BloodClan, where her kit would be mewling for milk. He fought the urge to call her back and ask what the kit looked like, while he held no true affection for the shecat he couldn't help but wonder if she looked a little like him.

"Ooh, harsh."

"Shut up Thatcher," Brumous switched his attention to Macie, who was talking enthusiastically to the new recruits. He padded over to join in on the conversation, the plan running through his head.

"Come on Soot concentrate on your aim- no not like that. Snake come here, demonstrate how to properly do it," Nook flicked his tail patiently. Snake padded over obediently, and curved her forepaw claws unsheathed, and successfully caught Ace just above the eye, leaving a minor scratch.

"Good, now you try Soot. Ace, don't just stand there, dodge!" Soot gritted her teeth and she lunged at her brother, mimicking Snake's form and swiped at Ace's face. He jumped sideways, her claw just grazing his cheek. "Much better!"

"Why do they always have to practice on me?" Ace whipped off the blood on his face with his forepaw, grumbling.

"Because you throw your weight around like a half dead badger!" Snake snorted, and Soot stifled a giggle.

"I'll show you a half dead badger!" Ace yowled as he pounced at Snake, she darted underneath him and he landed with empty paws. He growled playfully, and swiveled on his hind feet before swiping at her eyes. Snake crouched down lower and lunged at his abdomen, catching him off balance and making him tumble into the dirt. Snake fell with him, and bunched up her muscles to leap off of him but he wrapped his legs around her and rolled on top of his sister.

"Oomph, get off!" She struggled beneath his weight.

"Not until you take it back."  
"Never!" Ace put more pressure on her, and Snake gasped for air.

"Ok fine! I take it back!" She heaved in a swell of air as he rolled off of her mrowing good naturedly.

"Alright that's enough, back to training." Nook called over them.

"We've been at it all morning," Soot moaned. Her muscles were growing stiff, the run from last night had taken its toll.

"That doesn't matter, BloodClan cats won't care if you're tired or not."

"But we're not going to fight them, are we?" Snake glanced down at her paws, fixated on her vision. Nook flicked his ear, and played with words in his head until he came up with a good answer.

"I hope not, but it never hurts to be prepared." He finally meowed. "Now, get back to training. Your father will be coming tomorrow with Cathair and if you want to take the day off you need to make up for it today. Am I understood?" Soot mumbled a yes. "Good. Snake pair up with Soot, Ace let's work on your coordination, size isn't everything you know."

"Maybe not but it works for me," he shook out his pelt. Nook sighed and flicked his tail calling the tom over. Ace strolled up obediently, "so what's the plan man?"

"I'm going to teach you a lesson," Nook stood up and stretched out his hind legs.

"Oooh, what?" Ace pricked his ears forward with interests.

"This," Nook lunged at him and Ace stiffened for impact but Nook swerved and barreled into his side, sending him sprawling. Ace began picking himself up but Nook bashed his paw into his cheek sending him back down into the dirt. Nook stepped back as Ace spat out some dirt, and leapt to his paws.

"Okay I might be starting to see your point," he began, Nook charged at the tom again and Ace attempted to leap out of the way but Nook quickly swiveled and head-butted him in the jaw. Ace stumbled back and Nook swiped his forepaw under his feet knocking him down again.

"How about now?" Nook grinned at the battered tom, fur ruffled and matted from the dirt.

"Ok, we'll work on my coordination." Ace picked himself up, and wiped the blood off of his mouth. "You made me bite my tongue."

"A lesson hard learned then; now get into position." Ace shook his pelt out and concentrated on Nook's muscles. "Good, now all I want you to do is try to avoid every blow I make." Nook lunged forward and Ace leapt back just out of reach. "Nicely done." He swiped his paw at his muzzle, and he ducked, the paw barely brushing against the tip of his ear. He leapt to the side, putting distance between him and the tom. Nook charged at him and lunged at his shoulder and Ace crouched down and rolled just underneath Nook. "Much better, to fight effectively you don't only need to wound your opponent but you need to avoid them yourself." Nook switched his gaze to Soot and Snake, who were in the middle of a practice battle. Soot reared on her hind legs and crashed her forepaws onto Snake's shoulder, who rolled on her back making Soot fall. She then shoved her slightly larger sister off with her hind legs and leapt to her paws.

"Ok, it's sunhigh that's enough you two. Remember at Sunset we're going to the pines to practice your climbing." Nook padded off to the barn to groom his pelt, leaving the sibling to themselves.

"I won't be able to eat without my tongue throbbing for half a moon," Ace rolled his tongue in his mouth, testing out the bite. Snake grinned and nudged him in the shoulder,

"All you think about it food."

"And you don't?" Ace teased. "I don't know about you guys but I think I'm going to cool off in the creek.

"But its freezing!" Soot padded up, her expression reflecting how stupid she thought the idea was.

"Yeah and I'm hot, see you chicks later." He winked and strolled off towards the creek cockily.

"You know…" Snake smiled at her sister.

"Oh don't tell me you're going to the creek too," Soot flattened her ears in protest.

"Actually it sounds like a good idea. Today is a lot warmer than usual; the water might feel good on my sore pads too." She sighed in disbelief.

"Fine, I guess I'll go too. But don't expect me to get in the water because I won't."

"Don't worry, I don't expect you too." Snake bounded after her brother, followed by Soot.

"Cathair, how are you feeling?" Nook placed his paw on the elderly cat's chest, feeling for any rasps or pauses between breaths.

"Better than you look," the old cat commented. Nook flicked his ear, pine needles and burrs were caught in his pelt from training the kits. "What on earth were you doing?"

"I was, uh-" he flicked his gaze to Baylor, reluctant to reveal the severity of the kit's training. "Teaching the kits how to climb the most efficient way possible." Baylor narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the smaller tom.

"A good use of their time, takes a lot of upper body strength to scale a tree quickly." Nook nodded, and shoved the remainder of his stock of lungwort to the tom.

"Finish these off, and you should be good to travel to the moor tomorrow."

"Ok, father we should be returning to camp. Cats would grow suspicious if we stayed out much longer, and your warm den might be the best thing for your health right now."

"He's right," Nook agreed with Baylor, a warm den would help ease the strain on his lungs.

Cathair rose shakily to his paws, Baylor jumped beside his father to provide support but he shouldered him away, "I don't need your help."

"Meet me here at sunrise tomorrow, and I will help escort you to the barn." Nook shook out his pelt, a few pine needles floated to the ground.

"I can find my own way to the barn, I traveled there and back moons before you showed up. But thank you for the offer," Baylor flicked his tail and turned away from Nook. Nook flattened his ears and bit back a retort.

"If you insist, we'll be waiting at the barn then." And with that he turned and set off at a lope to notify Maple. Baylor and Cathair padded back to the camp, and were greeted by many of the guard with respectful dips of their head. As Baylor padded past Fang, he couldn't help notice that the tom sneered at him, and he also couldn't help but to not care.

Upon reaching the dog house, Cathair nodded to his son, dismissing him so that he could call a meeting. Typically Cathair would join his son in such a meeting, but yellow cough had left him weak and he couldn't muster the strength to address his previous ranks.

Baylor strolled smoothly to the top of the ledge, and yowled. The members of the guard gathered beneath him, his eyes brightened with anticipation. "It has been half a moon since the first patrol departed to explore the new territory, and in accordance to Fallen's order the second patrol is to be sent out before dawn tomorrow. Smoke, Shade, Wander, Fox, and Salem, are you prepared to make this journey?"

"We are ready to serve our clan and seek out the new territory and the first patrol," Fox stood up and confidently answered him. Her patrol joined her and stood up, their eyes glowing from the moonlight.

"I expect nothing less coming from you, sleep well tonight and eat a light breakfast tomorrow. Meet me and Cathair at our den before the sun rises, and then you will depart to Fallen's den just as the sun lights up the sky." Fox dipped her head in obedience and respect.

"Just like half a moon ago, tomorrow we will celebrate their departure. There will be no training sessions or duties, just stay in our territory. If I find out any one of you has disobeyed my orders I will shred your pelt. Dismissed!" Baylor whipped around and padded to his den to join Cathair in sleep, he could hear the excited murmuring of his guard fade away behind them. There was no question that Fallen's new territory was a popular idea, food was scarce in the city and the prospect of plentiful, live, and fat prey intrigued the cats.

The day flew by quickly, cut short by the winter's late mornings and early nights. The trio came back near moonhigh, pine needles and burrs stuck in their fur, but their spirits were high. Baylor and Cathair were due to visit by the time the sun peeked over the tree's canopy and the siblings couldn't wait to meet their grandfather.

"What do you think he'll be like?" Snake tilted her head to the side, making her walk lopsided. "Do you think he'll tell stories like Nook, or play with us?"

"Snake we're almost nine moons old, we don't play." Soot lifted her chin up dignifyingly, priding herself on being mature. Ace scoffed and put on an astonished look.

"Speak for yourself!"

"What if he's bitter and snappy?" Snake meowed worriedly, "I hope not." They paused at the barn door, exchanging glances.

"Well we'll find out tomorrow. Now my pads are aching and my shoulder is stiff, I'm going to take a good bath and go to sleep so will you try and keep it down?" Soot meowed before she walked into the barn and sharing tongues with her mother briefly. Snake and Ace quickly followed, and watched as she climbed the ladder up onto the loft. Snake admired how beautiful she was and how her pelt shone and moved, she could see the shecat's toned muscles through the soft fur. _Did I look like that?_ A pang of envy flashed through her when she realized that she probably looked more sickly and weak due to her size, even though she could catch glimpses of her toned forelegs and haunches of she looked hard enough. Snake looked to her brother, the tom was huge. His fur, in comparison to his sister's, was short. His muscles were not only toned but built, adding to his size. However, his pelt had the same shine as his sister's did.

"How'd it go?" Maple greeted her kits, she always asked how the sessions went but never pried on what they did.

"I'll be feeling it tomorrow," Snake commented, flexing her haunches and her shoulders. The muscles were already stiffening up, Snake could relate to her sister.

"You'll be feeling it now," Ace grinned. When Snake flashed him a confused glance he batted his large paw into her shoulder making her straggle sideways.

"Hey!" Snake shook her leg, trying to loosen the muscles back up. She flashed him a playful glare and crouched.

Just as she was about to pounce Maple stepped in between the two, "Not now, it's late and tomorrow is a big day. Get some sleep," Snake opened her mouth to complain but her mother cut her off, "sleep."

"Yes ma'am" Ace ran up the ladder to the loft, leaving Snake to herself. Maple narrowed her eyes warningly, and Snake smiled sheepishly before padding up after her siblings. Maple chuckled to herself quietly, and laid down on the barn floor, paws tucked underneath her. She looked out into the moor through the small opening of the barn doors, watching for Nook to return.

Baylor stretched out on the cool ground, letting it cool his pelt. He sighed peacefully, breathing in the fresh morning air. Suddenly he felt a sharp jab in his side, he bolted up looking around, his eyes straining to adjust. "It near sunrise, you need to address the guard." Cathair's raspy voice dragged him back into reality, he sighed.

"Ok, ok. Im up, Im up." Baylor stood up and stretched out, reveling in how his muscles flexed and moved underneath his pelt.

"'Bout time." Cathair curled back up in his corner, his thinned pelt fluffed up to help keep out the cold. Baylor padded out of the dog house and onto the ledge. He looked down into the camp, the landscape almost seemed peaceful. He knew better though, by sunhigh the sand will be wet with blood and littered with cat fur. The cats loved to challenge each other for whatever reason, mates, food, grievances, fun, you name it and there was no better time to do that than on a free day.

Baylor hopped down from the ledge onto the sand and strolled over to the dens reserved for his guard. He peered in and saw them curled up in the nests, except for three. Fade, Fox, and Salem. They met his gaze, but Fade quickly swept it away and stared at her paws. Baylor looked next to his paw and saw a sizable pebble, and then he switched his gaze to Fang. Grinning, Baylor kicked the rock into the tom's back. "Get up crowfood, time to send our second patrol on their way!" He yowled to the group, cats stirred reluctantly. Fang, however, leapt up snarling, jolts of pain throbbing up his back where the pebble met its mark. Baylor snickered, and bounded back up his ledge. "Come on, we don't have all day and I, myself, am very busy. Don't waste my time!" His orders echoed through the camp, he watched with amusement at how some of the cats jumped at the boom, still half asleep.

Soon enough, his guard had gathered beneath him, staring up at their captain loyally. All except for Fang of course, who held a mask of pure hatred and resentment. "This second patrol, consisting of Fox, Wander, Salem, Smoke, and Shade, will embark on their journey this morning." He waited until the cheers of his guard died down to a low hum of excitement, "Soon enough we will conquer the new territory and all the pleasures with it!" Many of the cats, now wide awake, leapt up yowling their joy. "I will not waste this time giving a lengthy speech, as it does not call for one. The event in its own right is enough; the patrol will meet me outside of the doghouse for final departure presently. Again, let me remind the remainder of you," he stared hardly into Fang's eyes, "stay in our territory and if I discover otherwise I will rip your sorry asses apart. Dismissed." Baylor yowled the command dramatically, his muscles flexed and fur bristled for effect, and whipped around to meet the patrol at the den.

Cathair was sitting in the doorway, waiting to address them. He padded up to his father and dipped his head respectively, and sat next to him. The patrol was quick to make their appearance, Fox acknowledged Cathair first then Baylor, while the remainder of the patrol paid their respects to Baylor first. Most of the guard held more respect and admiration for their current Captain than their old one. It was obvious Cathair's days had long past.

"I believe that there are no better cats for this mission than you, and as diverse as you are I am certain that you will come together and move as one force. May your journey be swift and easy on your pads, may you arrive safely and find the first patrol waiting for you. Your clan will be anticipating the news, and BloodClan will hardly be able to still themselves from joining you in the prosperous lands." Cathair meowed to the patrol, capturing their attention with his words. Even though he was old, he still had a way of commanding respect. Baylor took his turn to speak to the group,

"As my guards I know you will complete this mission, I have high expectations for you."

"We will not fail you Baylor," Fox dipped her head so low it almost resembled a bow, her patrol mimicked her posture. A chill ran up his spine as he took in the odd gesture, pride quickly swelled in his chest, and he lifted his head higher.

"I know you won't, you must be prepared to face dogs, badgers, foxes, and Scourge knows what else. As my father said, you need to work together as one, if you do so you will succeed. I chose each of you for a reason, and some of you might clash against others," he looked at Smoke in particular and she flashed him a playful grin, "and others might be too quick to react or too cautious, but these difference will make you stronger. Now hurry and go meet your leader, the sun will be touching the sky soon."

The patrol dipped their heads once more in the odd fashion, and Salem caught his eye for a brief moment. The two exchanged a knowing glance, and they both realized the trust they were putting into each other. Fox yowled, signaling the cats it was time to go, she lead her patrol out of the camp and into the streets at a steady lope. Baylor looked to his father, "Ok, let's go."

Snake pried open an eye, and in an instant an immediate thought dawned upon her. _Dad and Cathair!_ She sat up, hay stuck in her pelt. She looked around the loft, her mother wasn't in her nest but Ace and Soot were still sound asleep. Snake stood up and walked to the edge and peered down, no sign of Nook. She whipped around and nudged Ace, he groaned and rolled over onto his side, muzzle beneath his paw. Snake flicked her ear, and something caught her eye. Ace's tail, it was twitching just outside of the nest. _He must be dreaming, well I can fix that!_ She padded over and bit into the bushy tail, Ace leapt up yowling. He looked around wildly, panting heavily until he realized what actually happened.

"Why you little-"

"Shut up, it's too early for this. Go outside and leave me in peace," Soot groaned and covered her ears with both paws.

"No, we need to get it, today is the day!" Ace and Soot looked at Snake unknowingly and she sighed in exasperation.

"You know, the day Dad brings Cathair to visit. He's supposed to be here at dawn," she elaborated.

Soot shot up, full of energy, "well then why didn't you wake me up earlier?! I still have to groom myself, and I won't get a chance to hunt!" She began plucking hay and moss out of her pelt, flustered.

"I just woke up now, and I think we're going on a family hunt together or something. Ace would you help me groom my back?"

"You bit my tail!" Ace growled lowly, clearly still hung over from the rude awakening.

"Well you wouldn't get up, please? I'll get you back," she smiled sweetly up at him, and batted her innocent eyes. Ace sighed and gave in, he had a soft spot for her even thought he would never admit it.

"Fine, turn around you look like you just fought a badger." Soot muttered something like 'what's new' but Snake chose to ignore her. She felt her brother's tongue rasp along her spine, smoothing the fur. However, after a moment sharp pang run up her spine,

"Ow!" She stiffened up and turned around to glare at Ace.

"Oops, my bad," he grinned at her and continued on to groom the fur.

The sun had just begun to light up the sky, adding streaks of orange and pink into the sky. Maple padded into the barn, her pelt neatly groomed and as beautiful as ever. "Oh good you're up and ready, Nook just left to meet them halfway. I told him he should stay but he insisted." Maple beckoned her kits to the barn floor with her tail, and Soot leaped down without haste. Snake finished plucking out one final bit of moss and groomed down the fur on Ace, his pelt shone finely. They joined the other two on the floor together, all grievances forgotten.

"Look at you, all nicely groomed." Maple smiled affectionately at the three. She focused on Snake for a moment, it was hard to believe that this fine, strong, and lovely shecat was the kit that barely made it through the night eight and a half moons ago. Snake sensed her mother's gaze and ducked her head shyly, she didn't like attention the way Soot did. Snake didn't see herself as beautiful and she thought herself dull when standing next to her sister's light. Surely other cats would be comparing her sister's perfections with her own faults.

"Hey mamma, what's for breakfast?" Soot spoke up, her stomach rumbling.

"We are going to go out and hunt together, since it's so early and we have all day. It'll be nice."

"Told you!" Snake couldn't contain herself; Soot flattened her ears at her sister.

"None of that you two, behave yourselves."  
"I always behave, don't I mom?" Ace grinned playfully, sticking out his chest. Snake bursted out laughing, and Ace cringed pretending she had hurt his pride.

"Hardly," Maple teased. Soot released a giggle, but followed up with a charming laugh. It seemed like moons before Snake caught the scent of her father, Nook, and a new but oddly familiar scent.

"They're here!" Snake bounded up and raced out of the barn before Maple could stop her. She climbed up an old beam that was propped up the side of the barn and onto the roof. Snake strained her eyes to catch a glimpse of them, and off in the distance she could make out two darker figures, one smaller than the other, and a white figure. "I see them, they're just beyond the edge of the moor!"

"Snake get down here, be presentable!" Maple called out to her spirited kit, Snake hesitantly climbed down.

"What does he look like?" Soot bounded out plagued by curiosity, Ace was not far behind.

"He's darker than dad, doesn't really look like him at all! He didn't seem much bigger than Nook, but I couldn't really see them."Snake informed her siblings, sharing their excitement. Maple could hardly contain her kits until they arrived. Nook was the first to come out of the stalks and greet the family. Baylor's ear tips poked above the grass, and the blades parted as an old cat and their father stepped into the clearing together.

Snake took in the cat's appearance; she could tell that at one point he would've stood above her father. Age had withered him down into a smaller cat, but even now he gave off some sense of awe. His spine resembled a branch, heavily weight down, leaving him hunched over. His pelt was ragged and unkept, but his green eyes had such life and fire that when Snake met them she almost jumped back a little bit.

Baylor padded over to his mate and nuzzled her lovingly, "Father this is my mate, Maple." He moved to her side so that Cathair could take her in.

"Ah, the one I've heard so much about. Your words didn't do her justice, son." Maple grew hot under the flattery and she stepped forward sheepishly.

"Thank you sir, you don't look so bad yourself," she meowed light heartedly. He bursts out into a hoarse laughter, startling Ace. After a moment of silence Cathair cleared his throat,

"I'm sorry about Snipe; he was one of my finest guards."Cathair smiled sincerely at the shecat, remorse fogging up his eyes. Maple bit back a muffle and nodded, Baylor placed his muzzle on her forehead affectionately.

Cathair gave her another knowing smile, and directed his attention to Ace. "And speaking of the devil," the elder squinted his eyes, taking in all the features. "My, he's almost the spitting image, not quite but it's there."

Maple licked her chest, "Yes, that's why we named him Ace."

"Nice to meet you, sir." Ace dipped his head respectfully, and awkwardly. He met the elder's gaze unknowingly. Cathair grinned, joy flooding onto his face.

"Has his father's figure, his kin's coat, and his mother's eyes. Who are these two lovely shecats?" He switched his attention to Soot, who was restraining from jumping up and introducing herself, and Snake, who had her head dipped bashfully.

"My name is Soot, pleasure to meet you." Soot couldn't help herself, she leapt to her paws smoothly and put on her most charming smile and widened her soft blue and stunning green eyes. She knew how to present herself, Cathair chuckled lightly.

"Cathair, pleasure's all mine." She dipped her head and licked her chest before sitting back down. "And you must be Snake." Snake lifted her head up to meet his gaze, and nodded.

"Yes sir" was all she could bring herself to say. Cathair's gaze hardened as her studied her, she was different from the other two. Yes, she was smaller but that wasn't it. Her bright green eyes were like his own, while his son had green eyes they weren't as bright as his. He noticed that she had built up more muscle than Soot, and she seemed to carry herself in a more poised manner, as if ready to defend herself at any point, like a coiled snake. _Like Viper_. Something else was drawing himself to her, and he couldn't pinpoint it.

"Well… Maybe we should go hunting before the mice retreat into their burrows." Baylor's deep voice broke Cathair's thoughts and brought him back into the present time.

"Yes, of course. I can't wait to see how well these kits hunt." Soot could hardly contain herself, she was a superb hunter and couldn't wait to show off her skills. Ace and Nook flashed Snake a confused look, she shrugged indicating she was just as confused as they were. She sighed, _didn't even spend half a sun with him and he already hates me._ She stood up and breathed in the morning air. The cool and brisk air felt good, and eased her anxiety. Snake trotted up to Nook's and Ace's side, taking her place in between them. Nook flicked his ear, his odd little quirk, and Ace flashed her a grin. She forced a soft smile, covering up her worries.

By the time the group had reached the field, Maple's favorite hunting grounds, the sun had reached above the trees casting its light out onto the world. Soot spent the trip buzzing around Cathair in her own endearing way, taking every opportunity to strike up a conversation. The elder found he enjoyed talking pointlessly. His favorite topic was Baylor as a kit, and his mate Snow. Snake tuned into the conversation, but stayed silent. Her ears pricked up as he began an old tale about a peculiar cat he met when he was about their age.

"Now, if I remember correctly- I was nine moons old and I left camp to prove myself to my father. You know, well you _don't_ , but I could never be good enough to him. There was always _something_ , so I set off to hunt down the infamous white hare. According to every cat that has seen it, it was the biggest, fastest, most cunning, and whitest hare there ever was. I thought if I could kill it and bring it back, my father would surely be proud of me." He chuckled at the memory before continuing.

"However, little did I know that I wouldn't come across the hare, but a strange cat who spoke of strange things. So I set out early one morning, before my dad woke up the guard for the day's training-including me. I must've walked six suns straight, taking short naps at the most, before I reached the alleged hare's territory. I had never seen such a place, great vast plains with towering trees and enormous mountains on the horizon. When I climbed the biggest oak tree I had yet to lay my old eyes on, I could almost make up a diverse piece of land in the far off distance- planes, thick forest, a river, and a swamp, all surrounding what seemed like a lake. It wasn't much longer after I saw this when I can across a brown tabby tom. He was much smaller than me, despite being about the same age. At first he was very defensive, like he was protecting some great secrete. It took me some time, but I eventually managed to convince him I was just here to hunt the white hare to prove myself to my father. Interestingly enough, he was here to catch it as well- to prove himself to his leader. He held back what he belonged too, but he told of something called 'starpelt', and the starry cats that lived up there," Snake stiffened, she recognized Starpelt and the StarClan cats.

"I thought it was peculiar, how could cats live in the sky? The sky is for birds, not cats. But he insisted that when a good cat dies they will join their ancestors in the vast ocean of stars, to guide the next generation. He never told me his name, and we parted ways after a sun of talking. There was no hare scent to be found, and you better believe that when I came back without the prize to cool my father's wrath I was made to do recruit duties and extensive training for two moons." Cathair chuckled, and Soot weaved her soft laughter in with his. Nook gave Snake a knowing smile, she didn't catch it. She couldn't believe it, they might still be out there!

The group walked on for a while before Baylor led them into a clearing, the field right behind it. "This is where we meet up after a hunt, so if you want to wait here while we go hunt that'll be fine." Baylor cut into a more embarrassing tale of him as kit, his first time at the creek, to coax his father into resting.

"I want to see how well you've trained your litter to hunt, I will follow at a distance." Cathair huffed.

"You just got over yellow cough, and-"

"I said I will follow, don't forget I was once your Captain son. I led some of the most brutal battles, following them will prove no difficult task." The elder growled in aggravation, his ragged pelt spiked up. Baylor sighed in defeat, and muttered something under his breath.

"You could make it difficult," Nook whispered in Snake's ear. She recalled the many night sessions she had where Nook had pushed her to her limit. _I would make it impossible_. Snake grinned.

"Ok, well let's do something different then." Maple shouldered her mate playfully, loosening up the tension. "Toms against shecats," she narrowed her eyes challengingly.

"Oh that wouldn't be fair, dear." Baylor cooed, smirking smugly.

"For you, it wouldn't be." Maple retorted with a winsome appeal, swaying her tail cockily.

"It's on, come on dad we'll show em!" Ace lashed his tail excitingly. Nook nodded in agreement with the young tom.

"Ok, fine. Nook, Ace, and I will take the west side and you, Snake, and Soot take the east. Meet back here in a quarter sun. You're just going to follow at random, correct?" Baylor questioned his father, trying to form a basic idea of the tom's intentions in his mind. Cathair nodded his briefly, curiosity sparkling in his eyes.

"Ready, set, go!" Baylor called out the order, and the two groups split and ran into the designated hunting grounds. Snake kept up a steady and trained lope, while Soot bounded ahead. Maple trotted behind her kits, ears pricked and senses on alert.

After a few moments Soot slowed down to a walk, and then completely stopped. She stood erect, ears pointing towards a cluster of rocks. Snake halted just behind her, and she could sense her mother stopping at her flank. Soot flashed a confident grin at them before leaping into the brush lightly and out of sight. Snake strained her hearing but couldn't pick up her sister's movements. This is what made her an amazing hunter; Soot had the incredible ability to be completely silent. A thud followed by a choked out speak rang out, Snake knew she had caught a field mouse. Her sister slid out of the brush, the rodent hanging limply from her jaws. Maple dug a small hole for Soot to lay her kill in, and she scraped the dirt back over it.

Soot continued to catch field mice, and Maple had succeeded in killing a quail, but Snake had not caught anything. "Mom," Maple swiveled her ear back to catch her kit's words, "I'm going to hunt solo for a bit… I thing I might do better by myself." She flicked her tail, and Snake turned into the thick bunch of stalks slipping into them. She trotted a ways towards the west half, until she felt like she had distanced herself enough. Snake stretched out her haunches and shook her pelt out, gathering her focus. She scanned her surroundings and parted her jaw, tasting the scents that swam through the air. She sensed a variety of prey including voles, quail, mice, squirrels, and rabbits. A lesser known scent wafted into her jowls, but she knew it by heart: hare. It was a rarer find, and she had only caught one once before two moons ago. _If I catch a hare I might impress Cathair_. His story flooded her mind, about the white hare, it would be appropriate. Snake fluffed up her pelt hopefully, and pinpointed the source of the scent beneath a scraggily bush. Her mouth watered, she remembered the sweet and tangy flesh of a hare; it was her favorite prey animal.

She traced the scent through the vast field, thanking StarClan that it remained on her side of the hunting ground. It seemed to take moons until she started picking up fresher and fresher scents the animal left behind, she could feel it in her bones that she was getting closer. Snake suddenly stopped, one paw into the air and crouched low. Something inside her told her to be still, and it wasn't until after a few second she heard the shuffling of dried grass and dead leaves. She swiveled her ears and determined that the noise was coming from her left shoulder. Snake turned her head, and saw the two points of brown ears. Her pelt shook with anticipation; she fell into a hunters crouch and stalked forward cautiously. The animal remained oblivious to the cat creeping up on it, until it was a few tail lengths away. The hare squeaked in fright and bolted away, Snake stormed after it. She gathered all of her muscles into her haunches before she launched herself forward, keeping an even pace with it. She knew it was a matter of who could out run who, and she paced her breathing into even huffs.

The hare started turning and darting from side to side, trying to throw off its pursuer. Snake managed to keep up with it, pulsating behind the animal like a machine. In desperation, the hare pivoted sharply towards a ditch, darting down it without hesitation. The shecat threw her weight into her left side, allowing herself skid until she got a grip into the earth and launched herself after the hare. Snake hurtled down the ditch, landing on the ground with a light thud. The hare tried to jump a log that laid in its path, but its hind foot hit the top and the animal lost its balance, tumbling into the dust. Snake flew over the log, crashing into the fallen hare. She struggled to get a grip on the flailing and panicked creature, she could feel its sharp claws scraping against her pelt. Snake pierced her long and sharp fangs into the hare's haunches, and pinned its head down with her forepaw. She readjusted her position so that she could free her mouth and deliver a killing bite. The hare squealed feebly as it felt its life drain from its throat.

It didn't take long for the hare to go limp, and its eyes glaze over. Snake released her grip on the animal and sat up, she was panting heavily from the run. Pride flooded through her as she looked down at her kill, and she licked the blood off of her muzzle.

Cathair nodded approvingly from up in a tree, he had watched most of the fiasco play out. The hare was as nearly as big as her. He couldn't help but wonder what her fighting skills were like, she could be useful in battle. But that was just the Captain of the Guard in him.

He slid from the branches to head back to the clearing, and wait for the others. He had seen all he needed too. Snake beamed over her hare, she grabbed its scruff and drug it along as best she could to the clearing to deposit her impressive kill. It was past sunhigh, she knew everyone would be returning from their hunt.

By the time she reached the clearing both hunting parties were waiting for her. "There you are! I was getting worried," Maple trotted over and groomed Snake's forehead. She ducked from her mother's tongue bashfully.

"I'm fine , Mom."

"I'd say! Look at that hare, it's as big as you Snake." Baylor padded over and nudged his mate away lovingly, smiling down at his kit proudly. Soot sat behind him gawking, she couldn't believe that Snake had not only managed to successfully kill the hare but that she had stolen the attention away from her. Ace cuffed Soot's ear playfully, and winked at Snake. She grinned gleefully, but her smile faded when she caught Cathair's stare. It was intense, like he was trying to pry her open. She looked down at her paws.

"Well I'd say its official, the toms win." Nook said exasperatedly. A roar of disapproval from Maple and Soot rang up. Snake quickly forgot Cathair's stare and launched herself at Nook, she rolled him on the ground until she was beneath him and threw him off of her. He skidded in the dust laughing, "Ok ok, I was just kidding. Shecats win!" Snake jumped up and shook out her pelt laughing along with him. Nook picked himself and padded up to her, nudging her shoulder with his head. "You finally got that move, we'll go to the next one tomorrow," he muttered. Snake smiled excitedly.

Cathair let a grin slip out, and he hobbled over to his sun. "Let's eat, I'm starving." Ace licked his mouth hungrily, nodding his head.

"Yeah, we can't let this prey go to waste! Come on kit, lets dig in." Baylor called out before he chose a plump vole he caught. Snake shared her hare with Nook and Ace, and Soot started on a juicy quail while Maple chose a thrush.

By moonhigh, Baylor took his father back to the camp and Maple sent her kits to the loft for the night. Baylor led Cathair towards the dog house, meeting Fang's heated glare with a smirk. Fang gritted his teeth, he noticed a new scent and stiffened. He concentrated on the scent and identified that it was cat, but not from BloodClan. _No, wait- multiple cats. Some shecats and a tom... two toms? Where in Scourge's name did they go?_ He narrowed his eyes at them suspiciously as they disappeared in their den.

Sorry it has taken so long for me to get these past two chapters out, but they're finally here! Also, the illustrations will eventually be released, my computer crashed (the one I'm currently using to post this isn't mine) and I haven't had the chance to get it fixed yet. Anywho, leave a comment down below (with your username so I can reach you, whoever wanted to do Maple I wasn't able to reach you because of this) if you have a question/request/or anything of that nature. Chapter eight and nine are planned to be released by June at the MAX, but who knows what might happen.


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